The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has challenged his counterpart from the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, for failing to attend the presidential debate.
Kwankwaso said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, was better than Tinubu.
Okowa represented the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar at the debate organised by Arise Television and the Centre for Development and Democracy, CDD, in Abuja on Sunday.
Expected at the debate were Bola Tinubu, Atiku, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Kwankwaso.
While Atiku, who was absent at the event sent a representative, Tinubu failed to attend and did send a representative.
Speaking at the event, Kwankwaso said due to the busy schedule of some presidential candidates, there may be a need for their running mates to represent them at events noting that Atiku did well by sending his running mate to represent him at the debate.
According to Kwankwaso: “No candidate can boast of saying ‘I will attend all of them (referring to pubic debate.)
“Whichever group that is having this sort of thing should accept it.
“I think the man sitting here (pointing to Okowa) is better than the person who did not come or send any representative.”
Defending his absence at the debate, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu through the Director of Public Communication and spokesman of the campaign Festus Keyamo, said Tinubu had set a parameter to address town hall meetings and would not attend debates as being put up by the various media organizations.
Keyamo added that the campaign schedule of the APC candidate is such that he can not be expected to attend every debate.
He stated reasons for his principal absence at the debate as follows:
“Firstly, many radio and TV networks in Nigeria have indicated interests to host such debates and out of deference to other TV and radio stations, our candidate will not be making selective appearances in some networks, whilst ignoring others. As President of Nigeria, by the Special Grace of God, he intends to treat all persons and businesses fairly and equally.
“Secondly, the busy and hectic campaign schedules of Asiwaju Tinubu will not permit him to honour all such invitations by different radio and TV networks, hence our decision for him not to start with one TV station and later ignore others.
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“Thirdly, our candidate had long before now realised the importance of speaking directly to Nigerians and shortly after unfolding his Action Plan as President embarked on Town Hall meetings beginning with his interaction with the Business Community and other stakeholders in Kano followed by the Town Hall meeting and presentation by experts last week in Lagos. Tomorrow, he will be interacting with Agro and Commodity Groups in Minna, Niger State.
“Whilst we thank Arise TV for the invitation, we want to assure Nigerians that we shall continue to hold these debate groups and Nigerians in high esteem. Nigerians will hear from our candidate loud and clear through other forums.
“Lastly, out of profound respect for Nigerians, we urge all our party structures and supporters at the grassroots to continue to organise town hall meetings to educate Nigerians on the Action Plan of our candidate as we believe a grassroots-approach to reach Nigerians will also be more profound.”