2027 Presidency: Atiku Sets Condition for Debate Participation, Demands Tinubu’s Presence
ABUJA — Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has said he will not participate in presidential debates ahead of the 2027 general elections unless President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are represented.
Atiku’s position, communicated by his spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, reflects growing pressure on presidential candidates to subject their records, policies and political programmes to direct public scrutiny ahead of the election.
The former vice president’s camp argued that presidential debates should provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the competing visions of the ruling party and opposition candidates on the same platform.
According to the statement, Atiku would not participate in a debate format that excludes Tinubu while opposition candidates are subjected to questions and scrutiny.
The campaign also accused the APC of attempting to avoid direct public examination by failing to commit the president to presidential debates.
Atiku’s position effectively places the participation of the incumbent president at the centre of any debate involving the opposition candidate.
The ADC presidential candidate has also challenged Tinubu to engage directly with Nigerians through a national presidential debate, arguing that such a platform would allow voters to compare the administration’s record with the alternatives being presented by opposition parties.
The development comes as political realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition parties seeking to consolidate their forces against the APC.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is now seeking to mount another presidential challenge under the ADC, which has increasingly positioned itself as a platform for opposition consolidation.
The debate controversy is expected to remain part of the wider political conversation as the 2027 election approaches, particularly over the extent to which presidential candidates should be subjected to direct public questioning and comparative scrutiny.
For Atiku’s campaign, the position is that Nigerians should not be presented with a debate involving opposition candidates alone. Rather, it insists that the incumbent president and the ruling party should be present to defend their record and articulate their plans for another term.
The demand could place additional pressure on the Tinubu administration and the APC to clarify their position on participation in presidential debates as the political contest gathers momentum.