Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he will only participate in presidential debates ahead of the 2027 general election if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are also represented.

In a statement shared on X on Tuesday by his official spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, Atiku described the practice of holding debates among opposition parties without the ruling party as “untenable” and an arrangement that could allow the APC to avoid scrutiny.

Okonkwo, who described Atiku as the leader of the Coalition of Opposition Parties and Leaders, said the former vice-president would make his participation in any presidential debate conditional on Tinubu and the APC being present.

“HE Atiku Abubakar, as the leader of the Coalition of Opposition Parties and Leaders, is left with no other choice than to make his appearance in any presidential debates conditional on the participation of President Bola Tinubu and the APC. There is no hiding place for APC in 2027,” he stated.

He said Atiku remained willing to engage Nigerians through interviews, town hall meetings, press conferences and other public forums, but would not participate in arrangements that pit opposition candidates against one another while giving the ruling party an advantage.

Atiku also challenged President Tinubu to a national presidential debate where both the ruling party and opposition candidates could present their policies and plans to Nigerians ahead of the election.

“HE, Atiku Abubakar, therefore, challenges President Bola Tinubu to a national presidential debate which will provide an opportunity for both the ruling party and the opposition parties to address Nigerians on their policies and ways to achieve those policies so that Nigerians can make an informed choice for the 2027 elections,” he said.

The ADC spokesman called for issue-based engagement and challenged the government to a substantive debate.

“Let us know when you guys are ready for a real debate, not this anyhow talk,” he added.