A close source has explained why President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress shunned the #2019Debate organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria.

It was learnt that Buhari was advised by his campaign team to stay away from the debate after his “poor” performance on Wednesday’s town hall meeting titled, “The Candidate”, which was moderated by ace journalist, Kadariah Ahmed.

A source close to Buhari said, “The President wanted to come but you can see that he is not ready to debate some people. It is better for him to miss the debate so that his words would not be used against him. After all, silence cannot be quoted.”

The source further said the President had already told Nigerians what he wanted to do at the last town hall and that was enough.

“You want the President to go up against motivational speakers who do this for a living? You want him to give them a platform to lambast him? No way! The elections will be won on the field and not on a podium.”

At the town hall meeting which Buhari attended alongside Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the President goofed when he was asked some questions causing the Vice-President to bail him out on several occasions.

Recall that the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, also walked out of the debate claiming Buhari’s absence is an insult.

The three Presidential candidates at the debate were a former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, motivational speaker, Mr Fela Durotoye, and a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu.