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Renowned political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi has again challenged President Bola Tinubu to a presidential debate with his opponents ahead of the 2027 general election, saying such a contest is long overdue.
Utomi reiterated the challenge in a Friday post on his Facebook page addressed to the president.
“Dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a presidential debate between you and your opponents is long overdue. Nigerians deserve nothing less,” Utomi stated.
He drew a comparison with the United States, a country whose democratic system has influenced Nigeria’s, noting that from Jimmy Carter in the 1970s to Donald Trump in recent years, American presidential candidates have repeatedly stood on the same podium, confronted difficult questions, challenged one another’s ideas and allowed citizens to listen, compare and judge for themselves.
“That is what democracy ought to encourage, a contest of ideas, not merely a parade of campaign promises and political endorsements,” he said.
Utomi recalled that in 2023, Tinubu declined to participate in a presidential debate with his opponents.
He said, “I hope you will pause for a moment and reflect on whether that was the right thing to do. What is there to fear in standing before the Nigerian people and defending your record, your policies and your vision for the country?
“You are, after all, a seasoned politician and an orator. Surely, the podium should be an opportunity, not a threat. A leader should not ask the people to trust him blindly. He should be willing to face their questions, confront opposing arguments and explain why he deserves their mandate.”
The latest Facebook post follows an earlier intervention by Utomi on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he argued that refusing to debate amounts to dishonesty to the electorate.
“If you cannot stand side by side with somebody contesting for the same position and engage in policy discussions, then you are being totally dishonest to the people you are offering to serve,” Utomi said during the interview.
In that same interview, Utomi, a staunch supporter of Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), also urged Tinubu to engage directly with Nigerians across state capitals and rural communities, and cited South Korea as an example where televised debates are a fixed part of elections.
His renewed call also came days after Tinubu announced during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council in Abuja that he would not be campaigning in all states ahead of the 2027 polls, but only in 12 states.
“Nigerians have endured enough political theatre. Let them hear the arguments. Let them witness the contest of ideas. Let them make their judgment. The Nigerian people deserve to hear what you have to say in a presidential debate,” Utomi stressed.
