Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party, will no longer attend debates if his rivals from other parties do not, according to Doyin Okupe, director general of the Obi-Datti Campaign Organization.
Okupe announced this at a press conference held on Monday in Abuja.
The Labour Party’s director general stated that if other presidential candidates fail to appear, Obi will withdraw from any debate even at the last minute and will no longer debate with surrogates or running mates.
This comes after Bola Ahmed Tinubu of The All Progressive Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were both absent from the ARISE TV town hall meeting for the 2023 presidential debates.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu had no one to represent him as Kashim Shettima, his running mate, was also absent from the event, while Atiku Abubakar was able to send his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, which did not “sit well” with Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)’s presidential candidate, Kola Abiola took advantage of the spot left vacant by APC’s Tinubu.
Obi is vying for Aso Rock’s highest office alongside All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso and others.