I Won’t Be Railroaded Into Media Appearances, Debates – Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has said he will not be railroaded into media appearances and debates.

This comes after he was absent at the presidential town ha meeting organised by Arise TV on Sunday.

His counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, was also absent but represented by his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.

Present at the event were the candidates of the Labour Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso respectively.

Reacting to backlash from Atiku and Obi for snubbing the event, Tinubu, through a statement signed by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said the event was poorly organised.

The statement read in part, “We read with amusement the ridiculous position of Atiku/Okowa Campaign Council and that of Labour Party/Peter Obi on the absence of our presidential candidate, Asíwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from the poorly organized Town Hall debate session by Arise TV.”

The statement continued, “We want to state again for the attention of both PDP and LP, that Asiwaju Tinubu will not be railroaded into media appearances and debates.

“Asiwaju Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima have their campaign schedule that they are following and they have been holding conversations with Nigerians at Town Hall meetings and other fora.

“The Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council has clearly made its position on debates known in a statement issued by our Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN and that position remains.

“We recognize that both PDP and LP have to use Asiwaju Tinubu’s name with the hope that their floundering campaign will gain some traction. Nigerians witnessed the show of shame and despicable exchange on live television between, Mr. Peter Obi, the candidate of LP and Dino Melaye, one of Atiku-Okowa’s palace jesters.

“Nigerians will certainly not vote for candidates and political parties that cannot maintain decorum and basic decency on national television