Atiku Makes U-Turn At Presidential Debate, Blames Buhari

Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, changed his mind about participating in a Presidential debate scheduled to be held today at Trascorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, the nation’s federal capital territory, venue of the debate.
Atiku who showed up at the venue of the debate after his return from the United States, left the venue without mounting the podium for the debate.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who was also invited for the debate did not show up at all, leaving only presidential candidates of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili; Alliance for New Democracy (ANN), Mr Fela Durotoye; All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari; and Young Progressives Party (YPP), Kingsley Moghalu, to debate.
In a series of tweet after his departure, Atiku blamed President Buhari’s absence for his decision to leave.

Atiku, in a statement said that he was at the venue of the debate for a Presidential debate, “not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar can not challenge or question an administration where the man at the helm of the affairs of the nation is not present to defend himself or his policies. After all you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence. I do not believe in attacking a man who is NOT here to defend himself. As a leader and former vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let me first apologise to all Nigerians, my fellow candidates and the moderator for the the APC Presidential Candidate’s absence in this debate. His non-appearance is a slight on ALL of us and our democracy.
“Secondly, with all due respect to my fellow candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili,  Kingsley Moghalu and to the moderator Mark Sugar and with apologies to all Nigerians here and at home expecting an interesting debate, I regret that I will not be able to go on with this debate due to President Buhari’s absence.
“I however challenge President Buhari to choose a date and time for a debate where he will be present and I will be there, hopefully with the other candidates as well.
“Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Atiku Abubakar.”
Courtesy: Channels television.