INSIDE STORY: Why Buhari Absconded from Debate With Jonathan

By Yemi Adebowale, Mila Yakubu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday announced it will not be featuring in the on-going electioneering public debates on national television and radio, being organized by the Broadcast Organization of Nigeria (BON).
According to Garba Shehu, Director Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organization (APCPCO) in a press statement on Thursday in Abuja, “The Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) powered debate was fraught with fundamental errors from the outset, by wearing the toga of government control, especially being composed mainly of agencies and allies of the incumbent People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) administration.”
However, BREAKING TIMES investigations on Thursday reveal that APC called off Buhari’s participation in the debate considering General Buhari’s poor preparation and his inability to master relevant details on economy, corruption, unemployment, agriculture, power and other key sectors of the economy. A frustrated communications team had spent the last one week trying to prepare the APC presidential candidate for the debate to no avail.
A source in the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation who spoke to BREAKING TIMES on Thursday night on condition of anonymity disclosed that the communications team gave up on Buhari when a foreign consultant flown in from the United States to prep the 72 year old former military Head of State concluded his session hurriedly and angrily as General Buhari showed no improvements in catching up with his mastery of key issues.
According to our source, the APC would not risk anything under the heavens to expose Buhari in his current state to any serious debate.
“It was so bad that even the right pronunciation of certain words was quite difficult. Buhari’s accent was a major issue of concern but the communications team had hoped to get this sorted before the debate but it wasn’t working out. You will notice that even his grasp of the issues during his rallies has been quite incoherent. The team was left with no choice but to call off his participation. Of course they won’t give the public details but this is what happened. The only choice left for the team now is to push Prof. Osinbajo who is more articulate to speak more for the campaign”, the source said.
It will be recalled that in 2011, General Muhammadu Buhari as CPC presidential candidate shunned the same BON debate on the pretext that President Jonathan refused to attend another debate organized by NN 24 TV channel.

The same way he shy away from certificate. Mtchew! If he really has something to offer all Nigerians not just a sect, he should be bold to defend whatever he says if he meant well. Talk is cheap.... Now come for open debate to tell us how you hope to achieve your promises....Not just you alone (both parties) you are saying media whatever......he dint even try to make an attempt. Make an attempt and leave Nigerians to Judge whether media is in support of one party or not like you claim. Nigerians are not fools we can reason and if that happens we will notice if its not fair. We are not happy no certificate, Now no open debate.........

I think this debate Is good for the APC to tell us how to correct all these mistakes they alleged that jonathan has made. The debate will be interesting cos it will give Buhari a chance to communicate with the electorate so as to convince us with a cogent reason on why PDP should give way for APC. I've listened to Buhari a couple of times on his campaign, believe me I didn't get 20% of what he said : it's either his pronunciations lacks cohesion or he lacked what to say. I've been waiting for him to tell us how he would improve our economy, infrastructure and make us Powerhouse in agriculture butt he never does that. All he does is to tell us he will do but never explains how he will do.. These APC cohorts and tyrants has nothing new to offer to this country rather they will take us back to the stone age where people stand in queue to enter bus. Today in edo state, he said he will distribute fertilizer and seed to the farmers and encourage the army to fight the boko haram boy ( I wonder what jonathan has been doing since). They are afraid of the debate cos he will definitely ruin there chances of having 10% come the election and moreover he is as weak as s vegetable.sum1 hu cannot stamd and giv a speech for 6mins,so dey wud definitely boycott d debate. Goodluck still remains the best candidate for Nigeria. Think Goodluck think transformation. Let the good luck