By Opeyemi Adelakun
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has said he will not participate in any presidential debate ahead of the 2027 general elections unless President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are represented.
Atiku, who leads the coalition of opposition parties, said debate platforms should provide an opportunity for Nigerians to scrutinise both the incumbent government and opposition candidates rather than pit opposition contenders against one another.
His position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by his campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo.
Okonkwo criticised the organisation of debates that primarily feature opposition candidates, describing the arrangement as unfair and accusing the APC-led administration of using such platforms to avoid direct scrutiny.
He said the political contest should principally be between the ruling party and opposition parties, arguing that excluding the incumbent from presidential debates undermines the purpose of the exercise.
According to him, Atiku would no longer participate in televised presidential debates where the incumbent administration is absent.
“HE Atiku Abubakar, as the leader of the coalition of opposition parties and leaders, 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.
He added, “There is no hiding place for APC in 2027.”
Despite the condition, Atiku’s campaign said he remained willing to engage Nigerians through interviews, town hall meetings, press conferences and other platforms.
Okonkwo said Atiku was prepared to discuss his plans with voters but would not participate in arrangements that could result in opposition candidates attacking one another while giving the ruling party an advantage.
The ADC candidate subsequently challenged Tinubu to participate in a national presidential debate ahead of the 2027 election.
According to Okonkwo, such a debate would enable Nigerians to compare the policies and proposed solutions of the ruling party and opposition and make an informed choice at the polls.
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