Follow the presidential debate starring Kingsley Moghalu of YPP, Atiku Abubakar of PDP, Obiageli Ezekwesili of ACPN and Fela Durotoye of ANN LIVE.
Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC, won’t be attending this debate
Trust us, you won’t miss a thing…
The candidates are being introduced…..
Ooops, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP is also missing this debate….
Timi Dakolo with the national anthem
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Kingsley Moghalu begins by saying he’ll be sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2019. He subs Buhari too with that “kitchen and other room” remark.
Opening remarks time
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Fela Durotoye is next. He’s in all white here. Durotoye says we have been ruled and not lead in the last 50 odd years.
He says he’s dedicated his life to the service of Nigeria.
“I only come to you with the hope of the future of this nation”, Durotoye says. Promises a nation that works for all if elected.
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Obiageli Ezekwesili talks about opportunities Nigeria has given her, speaks of her track record in governance and why she’s the person for the job.
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Atiku actually arrived the venue of this debate, but refused to get on stage because Buhari didn’t show up.
Here is his statement below:
“We came here for a Presidential debate, not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar can not challenge or question an administration where the man at the helm of the affairs of the nation is not present to defend himself or his policies. After all you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence. I do not believe in attacking a man who is NOT here to defend himself. As a leader and former vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let me first apologise to all Nigerians, my fellow candidates and the moderator for the APC Presidential Candidates absence in this debate. His non-appearance is a slight on ALL of us and our democracy.
“Secondly, with all due respect to my fellow candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu and to the moderator and with all apologies to my Fellow Nigerians here and at home expecting an interesting debate, I regret that I will not be able to go on with this debate due to President Buhari’s absence.
“I however challenge the President Buhari to choose a date and time for a debate where he will be present and I will be there, hopefully with the other candidates as well”.
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Moghalu talks about his plans for fixing the economy, with emphasis on his venture capital fund of N1trillion.
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Ezekwesili explains how she’ll get 80 million Nigerians out of poverty. Durotoye says Agriculture will fix the Nigerian economy.
Within two years, Moghalu says, his government will reduce recurrent expenditure by 50 percent.
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Ezekwesili spars with Moghalu on recurrent expenditure. Says there has to be an actual plan or strategy not mere talk.
“I’ll be riding in a bus that will carry other ministers when I become president”, Durotoye says no 30 car convoy when he becomes president.