The Peter Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation has fumed, saying Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party will no longer show up in debates if his counterparts in other parties do not show up.
The Director General of the organisation, Doyin Okupe, stated this, during a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
SaharaReporters had reported that both presidential candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar were not present at the presidential town hall session organised by Arise TV in Abuja.
However, addressing the media, Okupe said Obi would no longer debate with surrogates or running mates and would back out of any debate even at the last minute should other presidential candidates fail to show up.
He said, “Yesterday’s event (Arise TV Presidential Town Hall meeting), was clearly for Presidential candidates not Vice Presidential candidates.
“The APC did not turn up and did not send a representative, I respect that. We will no longer be part of any Presidential debate where surrogates are sent to represent the candidate.
“We are aware that over 85 percent of Nigerians who tune in to listen to these debates listen to the voice of our candidate, Peter Obi.”
Okupe also described the continued absence of Tinubu from events organised to afford candidates speak directly to Nigerians about their plans for the country as disrespectful to voters.
Although Atiku did not attend the town hall session, his running mate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, represented him at the debate.
SaharaReporters had reported that APC candidate, Tinubu had been a serial absentee, shunning the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) annual conference, the Institute of Charted Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) annual conference, among others.
