I won't debate Jonathan - Buhari

Gen. Muhammudu Buhari, presidential candidiate of the
All Progressive party has questioned why he would
debate President Goodluck Jonathan who is the
presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP if the situation of the ecomony has regressed since
the PDPs assumption of power in 1999.
Buhari who promised press freedom yesterday also said
there will be no debate with President Goodluck
Jonathan. Buhari said also that change revolution
without firing a shot was imminent in the country.
Buhari, who spoke at an interactive session with
members of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of
Nigeria( NPAN) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors( NGE) in
Abuja, said there was nothing to debate after 16 years of
misrule, especially what he described as the six years of
bad governance under Jonathan.

He said: “To be fair to me and Mr. President, after 16
years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and six
years of his time, is there anything to debate?
“Very seriously, you know the condition we are in; we are
all experiencing it, no matter who you are. So, what
should I debate there?” Buhari is quoted as saying by the
Nation
On the general election, Buhari said the shift on February
14 was unnecessary, after INEC had made it clear that it
was prepared for the elections.
He gave insights into what INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru
Jega told the Council of State meeting and how the
military differed.
He said Nigerians were waiting to see whether or not the
military would have rid Adamawa, Borno and Yobe of
Boko Haram insurgency.
He said: “I will give you the latest. When INEC submitted
a comprehensive document on February 14th election to
the Council of State, a number of us made comments.
INEC did a good job and they put it on record because
after submitting a document, you cannot withdraw it.
“They submitted a document on what they had been
doing since 2011, including training of personnel,
acquiring election materials and how they were
distributing them; and how they secured them.

“They even said they were ready to conduct the election
because they had achieved about 60 per cent distribution
of the voter cards. In the previous elections, it had never
been better than 45 per cent. But they were prepared.
“Somehow, the military told them they cannot guarantee
their security. Then six weeks were given and for
Nigerians, those six weeks were within the perimeter
allowed for the election. So, INEC said they should be
allowed to give the military six weeks.”
Gen. Buhari said Nigerians had been watching the
military on how it would secure the remaining local
government areas before the polls.

He added: “The reasons given have exposed the
inefficiency of the leadership because there were only 14
local government areas in the hands of Boko Haram.
These were 10 in Borno, two in Yobe and two in
Adamawa.

“If Nigerian military cannot secure 14 local government
areas in six years, how can they do it in six weeks. We
are watching. We have only about 10 days to go in the six
weeks. Let us see. In spite of the help of our generous
neighbors, let us see whether the remaining LGAs can be
secured.
“So, those in favour of presidential debate have a lot to
do to convince me to do it.”

At the interactive session, Buhari addressed other issues
like press freedom which he did not give during his 20-
month rule as Military head of state. Buhari promised that
the press will not be repressed in anyway.