Buhari in Lagos. Photo credit: Reuters

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), insists its candidate, Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari will not take part in the TV debate being organised by people said to be linked with President Jonathan’s campaign and who may have been compromised to deliver a tilted programme.

Instead, APCPCO said its candidate will meet Nigerian in town halls, starting with the event in Lagos today, when Buhari met the organised private sector and answered questions from the floor.

The campaign organisation believes this format will enable General Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo interact and explain directly to citizens the policy thrust of their envisaged administration and how the set objectives will be achieved.

The statement signed by Mallam Garba Shehu, Director of Media and Publicity of the Campaign said that the party was compelled to chart this course because of the compelling need to have a person-to-person interactive sessions during which pertinent questions will be posed to the candidates and responses provided.

“Our campaign decided to chart this path because we cannot afford to shy away from the more pressing urgency to have one-on-one interactions with Nigerians through town hall meetings,” Shehu said.

The statement reads: “The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation wishes to announce the commencement of town hall meetings ahead of the February 14 presidential election.

“Due to the more pressing urgency to have an open interaction with Nigerians, the campaign will be organising town hall meetings in different parts of the country.

“The town hall meetings kicked off today (Monday) in Lagos with a public interaction between the presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, his running mate Professor Yemi Osinbajo and representatives of Organised Private Sector.

“On Tuesday, the town hall meeting will hold in Kano with traders and market associations. Thereafter, the meeting will hold in Benin with labour and civil society leaders.

“The focus of the town hall meeting will then shift to Ibadan where students and youth groups will be engaging General Buhari and Professor Osinbajo, while Enugu and Port Harcourt will follow suit.

“The direction the that the campaign will be moving in the countdown to the election day is to have as many as possible person-to-person interactive sessions for Nigerians to hear directly from the presidential candidate and his running mate,” Shehu said.

Last week, the APC) announced it will not be featuring in public debates on national television and radio, being organised by the Broadcast Organisation of Nigeria (BON), because of the unhidden bias and campaign of calumny by some key organisers of the programme, against the political interest of the party (APC) and its candidates.

Garba Shehu, Director Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) said in a press statement on Thursday in Abuja that 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.

“A cursory inspection of the composition of NEGD brings into focus the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), National Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Africa Independent Television (AIT, owned by a PDP chieftain). And going by the avalanche of inflammatory statements, misinformation and blatant lies being propagated by some of these media against our Party and candidates contrary to the Koffi Annan brokered Abuja Peace Accord, and the failure of these aggressors to desist and apologise, have left the APC Campaign with no option than to steer clear of any premeditated smear campaign that could be inimical to our prospective electoral success,” Shehu said.

The APCPCO spokesman further explained that the boycott by the APC should not be seen as disrespect to Nigerian voters, or an alibi for the party to dodge public scrutiny; but it must be viewed as an honourable right not to consent to any activity that could distract, demean, denigrate or derail the fast-moving train of the party.