Obiageli Ezekwesili, Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Kingsley Moghalu, candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Fela Durotoye, candidate of the Alliance for New Democracy (ANN) have slammed President Muhammadu Buhari (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (PDP) for shunning Saturday’s presidential debate.
President Buhari did not show up at the venue for the debate while the candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar showed up but later left the venue without debating.
Obiageli Ezekwesili of ACPN, Fela Durtotoye of ANN, and Kingsley Moghalu of YPP, who were at the presidential debate, said the absence of Buhari and Atiku from the debate showed that they and their parties have no regard for Nigerians and lack the answers to critical questions.
Ezekwesili said, “I’m not surprised they are not here. They have just simply announced their exit from the governance of our country.
“I think it is important for us to acknowledge that there is a political class that needs to fade away from our country because the idea that the will of the people will be subordinated to the whims and caprices of our politicians should be a total anomaly and, today, as we in this country focus on the ideas that will develop our country if the two dominant parties cared about the Nigerian people, they would come here in order to have a contest of ideas on how we would fix Nigeria.
“I must let you know that for the Nigerian people, this is a moment to make a clear judgment as to whether we are connected to the issues that matter to the Nigerian people.
“We showed up for this debate not because we are new entrants into politics but because we believe it is time for a new kind of governance in Nigeria.”
Moghalu said the duo do not believe the people of Nigeria have a voice.
“The reason why they are not here: one is arrogance. They believe the people of Nigeria have no voice and no choice. They believe that you cannot move away from them.
“They believe they have trapped you, they have kept you in bondage for over too long and it is now time for us to send them a message. The second reason why they are not here is because they cannot answer the questions. Very simple, very straight-forward. They belong to the old class of recycled politicians who want to come to power with a sense of entitlement.”
Durotoye reiterated that the Buhari and Atiku are not out to serve the people of Nigeria, but to rule over them.
He said, “Well, it seems that the future is here. Pride always comes before a fall and every time you believe that there is no need to tell the people the things you are going to do, it means you are not there to serve them in the first place; you are going to rule over them.
The Nigeria Elections Debate Group and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria had President Buhari, Atiku, Durotoye, Moghalu and Ezekwesili for the Presidential debate.