Atiku Abubakar to Boycott Debates Without Tinubu

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declared his intention to boycott any presidential debate that does not feature President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This statement was made on Tuesday by his campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo.

Atiku criticized the trend of organizing debates solely among opposition candidates, labeling it as untenable and a tactic employed by the APC government to provoke conflict among opposition parties while evading accountability. He emphasized that presidential debates should include both the ruling party and opposition parties to allow for a comprehensive presentation of policies to the Nigerian populace.

Atiku stated, “There is no hiding place for APC in 2027,” and expressed his willingness to engage with the public through various forums, but will not participate in debates that disadvantage the opposition. He challenged President Bola Tinubu to a national debate to facilitate direct communication with Nigerians regarding their policies ahead of the 2027 elections.