The Director of media and publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organization, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari’s alleged contempt for Nigerians by his refusal to participate in live television debates with President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement in Abuja today, Fani-Kayode said that the decision by General Buhari to shun another debate organized by the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and Channels Television was despicable and even as he called on Nigerians to ensure the rejection of Buhari at the poll as a just recompense for his action.
“We have been informed that General Buhari and the APC have decided not to participate in the NPAN-CHANNELS Television-organized debate after they had earlier agreed to take part in it.
“We had thought that having withdrawn from participating in the debate organized by Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON), they would have availed themselves this second platform.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 organizers 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.” [myad]
