The  Peoples Democratic Party has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to a live, one-on-one debate with its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on critical sectors of  national life.

The PDP also berated Buhari for allegedly neglecting Nigerian troops fighting in the North East.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement on Sunday also accused Buhari of reneging on his promise to “lead the fight from the front”, resulting in the vulnerability and killing of our soldiers by insurgents.

He said,  “Nigerians are aware that Buhari has been mortally afraid of facing our candidate,  Atiku Abubakar, in a general debate organised by independent bodies.

“For this, the PDP grants him the liberty to choose a venue, date and time convenient to him to face our candidate before a neutral panel.

“Buhari must face Atiku Abubakar in person, as Nigerians are not ready to accept any representation, whosoever, from him. If, as a Commander-In-Chief, Mr President cannot face a political debate, how then can he vigorously engage international competitors?

“Nigerians can now see why our nation has been under peril in the last three and half years.”

He stated that Buhari should be ready to face his perceived failures and avail Nigerians of his sectoral performance scorecards, as well as present his future blueprint, to enable the electorate weigh him alongside Atiku.”

Ologbondiyan also said Buhari should explain why he had allegedly been ‘insensitive’ to the killings of citizens and soldiers by marauders and insurgents, particularly given allegations that he had been distracting the armed forces by dragging them to participate in his re-election campaign.

He said, “Nigerians recall that at the time our troops were being attacked by insurgents, our service chiefs were attending the launch of President Buhari’s “Next Level” campaign mantra, stolen from a foreign institute.

“Nigerians await Buhari to answer for the humongous corruption in his administration; why he has failed to fulfil any of his 2015 campaign promises and why he cannot show any key development project he initiated and completed in his three and half years in office.

“Buhari must be ready to face the over 40 million Nigerians who lost their jobs and millions more whose businesses have folded up due to his incompetence and harsh economic policies. He must face the victims of human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, illegal arrests and arbitrary detention under his administration.”

He added, “Buhari came to power through false promises and propaganda. Now, the day of reckoning has come and he cannot run away from his failures.

“On our part, our candidate is ready to face President Buhari, one-on-one. He has his scorecard in governance and his blueprint for national rebirth; wealth creation, youth empowerment and building a prosperous nation, which has become dominant among the aspirations of Nigerians.”