The three Presidential candidates attending the debate organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, on Saturday took turns to attack President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress and former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party for shunning the debate.
A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party; a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Peoples Congress of Nigeria; and motivational speaker, Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria, described Messrs Buhari and Atiku as old men who lacked the ability to answer questions.
The moderator, Mark Sugar, asked the three candidates to react to the absence of the two frontline candidates.
Mrs Ezekwesili started by saying Buhari and Atiku had announced their exit from the presidential race by their action.
“I am not surprised they are not here. They have simply announced their exit from the governance.
“I think it is important that we acknowledge there is a political class that needs to fade away from our country because the idea that the will of the people to be subjected to the whims and caprices of our politicians should be a total anomaly,” she said.
Mr Durotoye, who spoke next, said the APC and the PDP are two sides of the same coin and asked Nigerians to ensure that the two parties never get into power again.
Mr Moghalu said the two men lacked the ability to answer questions properly.
He said, “I am not surprised that the candidates of the APC and the PDP have decided to turn their backs on Nigerians and say the people never meant much in their eyes.”
