The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, 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 are also represented.
Atiku’s position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by his official spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo.
The former Vice-President argued that presidential debates should provide a platform for candidates of the ruling party and opposition parties to present their policies, programmes and plans directly to Nigerians.
He criticised the practice of organising debates that feature only opposition candidates, describing it as unacceptable and accusing the APC-led administration of using such platforms to turn opposition candidates against one another while avoiding public scrutiny.
According to Atiku, the 2027 election should provide Nigerians with an opportunity to compare the policies and records of the government with those of the opposition.
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.”
The ADC presidential candidate alleged that the current arrangement was being used by the APC administration to create divisions within the opposition while shielding the ruling party from direct questioning by Nigerians.
He said Atiku would therefore not participate in any presidential debate that excludes Tinubu or the APC.
“HE Atiku Abubakar, as the leader of the coalition of opposition parties and leaders, is left with no other choice than to make his appearance in any presidential debates conditional on the participation of President Bola Tinubu and the APC,” Okonkwo said.
“There is no hiding place for APC in 2027.”
Despite his position on the debates, Atiku said he remained willing to engage Nigerians through other platforms, including interviews, town hall meetings and press conferences.
The former Vice-President, however, maintained that he would not participate in an arrangement that he believes could encourage opposition candidates to attack one another while giving the ruling party an advantage.
“He 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,” the statement added.
Atiku subsequently challenged President Tinubu to participate in a national presidential debate where both the ruling party and opposition would have the opportunity to explain their policies and how they intend to implement them.
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According to him, such a debate would enable Nigerians to make an informed decision at the 2027 polls.
The statement 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 development comes amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition parties and political figures increasingly positioning themselves for a contest against the Tinubu administration.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, has since joined the ADC-led opposition coalition as the group intensifies preparations for the 2027 election.
His latest position places the participation of the incumbent president at the centre of the debate over how presidential candidates should engage voters during the forthcoming election cycle.
With political parties expected to begin broader campaigns and policy engagements ahead of 2027, the issue of presidential debates could become an important part of the contest, particularly as Nigerians seek direct explanations from candidates on the economy, security, governance and other national issues.