Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar says he will only participate in a 2027 presidential debate if President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, are also represented.
Atiku’s position was disclosed on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, who argued that presidential debates should give Nigerians the chance to compare the programmes of both the government and opposition parties ahead of the election.
Okonkwo criticised debates that involve only opposition candidates, describing the arrangement as unfair. He accused the APC-led government of using such platforms to encourage divisions among opposition politicians while avoiding direct scrutiny.
The spokesperson said Atiku, who he described as a leader of the opposition coalition, would therefore make his attendance at any presidential debate conditional on Tinubu and the APC taking part.
Atiku, however, said he remains open to engaging voters through interviews, town hall meetings, press conferences and other public forums. His objection, according to Okonkwo, is specifically to debate formats that bring opposition candidates together while leaving the ruling party out.
The ADC candidate also challenged Tinubu to participate in a national presidential debate where both sides can explain their policies and how they intend to implement them.
The statement said such a debate would allow Nigerians to assess the competing political programmes and make an informed decision in the 2027 presidential election.
