NOT FOR DEBATES BUT FOR TOWN HALL MEETINGS ... BUHARI DECLINES TO ATTEND AT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE'S DEBATES : Buhari begins town hall meetings ... TheNation

… To shun presidential debates

The Presidential Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said Monday that its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, will not take part in any presidential debates, hut would rather embark on a town hall meetings across the country.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the organization said that Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo will interact with Nigerians during the town hall meetings and explain directly to citizens the policy thrust of their envisaged administration and how the set objectives will be achieved.

Shehu said that the town hall meetings will kick off in Lagos on Monday with a robust interaction between Buhari/Osibanjo and the Organised Private Sector.

The statement said the party was compelled to chart this course because of the compelling need to have a person-to-person interactive sessions during which pertinent questions will be posed to the candidates and responses provided.

He said: “Our campaign decided to chart this path because we cannot afford to shy away from the more pressing urgency to have one-on-one interactions with Nigerians through town hall meetings.

“The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation wishes to announce the commencement of town hall meetings ahead of the February 14 presidential election. Due to the more pressing urgency to have an open interaction with Nigerians, the campaign will be organising town hall meetings in different parts of the country.

“The town hall meetings kicked off today (Monday) in Lagos with a public interaction between the presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, his running mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and representatives of Organised Private Sector.

“On Tuesday, the town hall meeting will hold in Kano with traders and market associations. Thereafter, the meeting will hold in Benin with labour and civil society leaders.

“The focus of the town hall meeting will then shift to Ibadan where students and youth groups will be engaging Gen. Buhari and Prof. Osinbajo, while Enugu and Port Harcourt will follow suit.

“The direction the that the campaign will be moving in the countdown to the election day is to have as many as possible person-to-person interactive sessions for Nigerians to hear directly from the presidential candidate and his running mate.”

The APCPCO, however, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to explain to Nigerians what led to the stampede at the Nigeria Immigration Service job recruitment exercise where several Nigerians lost their lives.