You can’t force me - Tinubu blasts Atiku, Obi

The All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has fired back at the camps of his counterparts from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi for condemning with his absence at the Arise TV town hall meeting in Abuja.

What Tinubu said: Tinubu said Atiku’s camp could not force him to appear or send representatives to national debates.

He berated Atiku’s camp for following his absence at national debates.

What PDP said about Tinubu: Recall that a spokesman of the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign team said Tinubu was afraid of being exposed; hence his refusal to attend national debates.

However, the APC presidential candidate said he would not be “railroaded” into appearing for media debates.

Tinubu disclosed this through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga.

What Peter Obi had said: Peter Obi has vowed never to attend debates if his counterparts from the APC, Bola Tinubu, and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, do not show up.

Obi said he would back out of any debate where presidential candidates send surrogates or running mates, even at the last minute.

A statement by Onanuga read partly: “The more absurd of the two positions was the one canvassed by the spokesperson of Atiku/Okowa campaign. The PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar didn’t also attend Arise News Town Hall Meeting.

“Instead of PDP to tell Nigerians why its presidential candidate has not returned to Nigeria after their purposeless visit to United States where he and his other 15 peripatetic adults were given a cold shoulder by US senior officials, the spokesperson is busy chasing shadows.

“We want to state again for the attention of both PDP and LP, that Asiwaju Tinubu will not be railroaded into media appearances and debates.”

Tinubu's reason for absence: The Minister of Labour and Employment said the former Lagos governor did not attend because of his tight itinerary.

Festus Keyamo noted that many radio and TV networks in Nigeria had indicated interest in hosting such debates.

He said out of deference to them, Tinubu would not make selective appearances in some networks, whilst ignoring others.

What Tinubu was really up to that night: However, the former Lagos governor was spotted at the birthday party of his associate, retired colonel Sani Bello, some 6.4 km (an eight-minute drive) from the venue of the town hall.