DEBATE: General Buhari’s Refusal, Disappointing – Okorie

Presidential candidate of the
United Progressive Party (UPP), Chekwas Okorie, has stated that the boycott of
the scheduled presidential debate being put together by the Broadcast
Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) by the
All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari
is hugely disappointing.

Speaking via a statement by the
media arm of his campaign organisation, Okorie advised General Buhari to ignore
those advising him to shun the debate and participate in the debate as
scheduled.

Okorie stated that the debate,
which had become a norm in most advanced countries was a welcome development in
Nigeria’s budding democracy and shouldn’t be ignored by any candidate.

“My Vice Presidential candidate,
Barrister Bello Umar (SAN) and I are ready for the debate. I urge my
compatriot, General Buhari, to reject his advisors’ voices and show up for the
debate. That is what the nation and the international community expect of
him”, the statement said.