Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has said he will only participate in presidential debates ahead of the 2027 general elections if President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, also take part.
Atiku’s position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by his official spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo.
The former vice president said presidential debates should provide an opportunity for Nigerians to hear directly from candidates of both the ruling party and opposition parties before deciding who to support at the polls.
He rejected the idea of organising debates involving only opposition candidates, describing such an arrangement as unacceptable.
According to Atiku, excluding the ruling party from debates would allow the APC-led government to avoid public scrutiny while opposition candidates are encouraged to attack one another.
The former vice president, who is emerging as one of the major opposition figures ahead of the 2027 election, said he would therefore not participate in any presidential debate unless Tinubu or the APC is represented.
Okonkwo said, “Political contest worldwide has always been between the ruling party and the opposition parties. Presidential debates worldwide have also been organised between the ruling party and the opposition.
“The situation in Nigeria today in which presidential debates are organised among the opposition parties only is therefore untenable.”
He accused the Tinubu administration of using opposition-only debates as a strategy to create divisions among opposition parties while shielding itself from direct questions by Nigerians.
Atiku is currently part of a wider opposition coalition seeking to challenge the APC in the 2027 presidential election. The coalition has brought together politicians and political groups opposed to the ruling party, with discussions continuing over how best to present a united challenge to Tinubu.
The former vice president contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but lost to Tinubu of the APC. He has since remained active in national politics and has repeatedly criticised the policies and performance of the Tinubu administration.
His decision to contest the 2027 election under the ADC followed moves by opposition politicians to build a platform capable of defeating the APC.
In his latest statement, Atiku said his participation in the political process would not be limited to presidential debates.
He said he remained ready to engage Nigerians through interviews, town hall meetings, press conferences and other platforms where candidates can present their programmes directly to the people.
“HE Atiku Abubakar is willing to engage the Nigerian people through interviews, townhall meetings, press conferences, and any other forum of interaction with the people but will not participate in any arrangement that will pit the opposition against itself and give undue advantage to APC,” Okonkwo said.
The former vice president then challenged President Tinubu to a national presidential debate where both the ruling party and opposition candidates would have the opportunity to explain their plans to Nigerians.
Atiku said such a debate would allow voters to compare the policies and programmes of the various candidates and make an informed decision in 2027.
He said, “HE Atiku Abubakar, therefore, challenges President Bola Tinubu to a national presidential debate which will provide an opportunity for both the ruling party and the opposition parties to address Nigerians on their policies and ways to achieve those policies so that Nigerians can make an informed choice for the 2027 elections.”
The demand is likely to put the issue of presidential debates back at the centre of political discussions as parties prepare for the next general elections.
Presidential debates have traditionally been viewed as an important part of election campaigns because they provide voters with an opportunity to compare candidates on issues such as the economy, security, education, healthcare, infrastructure and foreign policy.
In Nigeria, however, debates have often faced challenges, including disagreements over participating candidates, the format of debates and the level of participation by leading presidential contenders.
Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, several debates and town hall meetings were organised, although not all major candidates participated in every event. The absence of leading contenders from some debates generated criticism from civil society groups and sections of the electorate.
The issue of accountability is particularly important ahead of the 2027 election as political parties are expected to campaign on their records and plans for the future.
The Tinubu administration is likely to face questions over its economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy, foreign exchange reforms, rising living costs, food prices, unemployment and efforts to attract investment.
Security will also remain a major campaign issue, with Nigerians continuing to demand stronger action against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime.
The opposition parties, in turn, will be expected to explain how they intend to address these challenges if elected.
Atiku’s latest position means that any debate involving him may depend on whether the APC and Tinubu agree to participate.
His spokesperson said the former vice president would not allow himself to be drawn into debates where opposition candidates would spend more time criticising one another while the ruling party remained outside the process.
The statement also suggested that Atiku views a direct contest with Tinubu as necessary for voters to properly assess the records and programmes of the two sides.
The former vice president said there was “no hiding place for APC in 2027”, signalling his determination to challenge the ruling party at the next election.
The APC has yet to respond to Atiku’s latest challenge in the statement provided.
With the 2027 election still ahead, political activities are expected to increase as parties begin to mobilise supporters, build alliances and develop campaign messages.
Whether Tinubu and the APC will accept Atiku’s challenge for a national debate remains to be seen, but the demand has already opened another debate over how presidential candidates should engage Nigerian voters before the 2027 polls.