The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation on Monday condemned “the contempt the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, has for Nigerians” by his refusal to participate in live television debates with President Goodluck Jonathan.
The PDPPCO, in a statement by its spokesperson, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, said the decision by General Buhari to shun another debate organised by the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria and Channels Television was despicable.
The PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation has, consequently, called on Nigerians to ensure the rejection of Buhari at the poll as a just recompense for his action.
According to the PDPPCO: “We have been informed that General Buhari and the APC have decided not to participate in the NPAN-CHANNELS Television-organised debate after they had earlier agreed to take part in it.
“We had thought that having withdrawn from participating in the debate organised by Broadcasting Orgnaisation of Nigeria, they would have availed themselves this second platform.
“Now that they have also turned their back on this, it is now very clear that General Buhari is incapable of engaging in rigorous live television debates on the issues of governance.
“It speaks about his intellectual laziness and his loss of touch with contemporary issues of development and statecraft.
“We would like to reiterate that the APC has something to shield about General Buhari.
“He has campaigned in some states of the federation attacking President Jonathan’s handling of insurgency, corruption and economy. Now, there is a platform on which both candidates can engage each other on these issues and he (Buhari) is running away.
“It is a disgrace to the APC and their candidate that they would treat everybody with contempt. “The organisers of the debates are interested in promoting a robust culture of debates so that people can listen to the candidates and make informed choices on the basis of their arguments.
“We call on Nigerians to express their displeasure with General Buhari and the APC by rejecting them at the poll. This will be a just recompense for treating the Nigerian people and electorate with disdain.”