The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has said he will only participate in presidential debates ahead of the 2027 general elections if President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC are also represented.
Atiku’s position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by his official spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo.
Okonkwo said presidential debates should provide a platform for the ruling and opposition parties to present their policies and programmes to Nigerians, allowing voters to make informed decisions.
He criticised debates involving only opposition candidates, describing the arrangement as “untenable” and accusing the APC-led administration of using such platforms to create divisions among opposition parties while avoiding public scrutiny.
According to the statement, Atiku, as the leader of the coalition of opposition parties and leaders, would not participate in any debate that pits opposition candidates against one another while excluding the ruling party.
“Atiku Abubakar is left with no other choice than to make his appearance in any presidential debates conditional on the participation of President Bola Tinubu and the APC,” Okonkwo said.
The former vice president, however, said he remained willing to engage Nigerians through interviews, town hall meetings, press conferences and other platforms.
Atiku also challenged President Tinubu to a national presidential debate where both the ruling party and opposition parties could explain their policies and how they intend to implement them.
He said such a debate would enable Nigerians to properly assess the candidates and make an informed choice ahead of the 2027 elections.
