The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to a live one-on-one debate with its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on critical sectors of the country ahead of 2019 presidential election.
In a statement which was made available to okay.ng on Sunday by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said Buhari was at liberty to pick the venue and time of the debate if he is not afraid of Abubakar.
The statement read: “Nigerians are aware that President Buhari has been mortally afraid of facing our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in a general debate organized by independent bodies. For this, the PDP grants him the liberty to choose a venue, date and time convenient to him to face our candidate before a neutral panel.
“President Buhari must face Atiku Abubakar in person, as Nigerians are not ready to accept any representation, whosoever, from him. If, as a Commander-In-Chief, Mr President cannot face a political debate, how then can he vigorously engage international competitors?
“Nigerians can now see why our nation has been under peril in the last three and half years.
“President Buhari should be ready to face his failures and avail Nigerians of his sectoral performance scorecards, as well as, present his future blueprint, if any, to enable the electorate to weigh him alongside our Presidential candidate.
“Mr. President should explain why he has been insensitive to the killing of citizens and soldiers by marauders and insurgents, particularly, given allegations that he has been distracting the Armed forces by dragging them to participate in his re-election campaign.
“Nigerians recall that at the time our troops were being attacked by insurgents, our Service Chiefs were attending the launch of President Buhari’s “Next Level” campaign mantra, stolen from a foreign institute.
“Nigerians await President Buhari to answer for the humongous corruption in his administration; why he has failed to fulfill any of his 2015 campaign promises and why he cannot show any key development project he initiated and completed in his three and half years in office.”
