The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has dismissed Works Minister, Dave Umahi’s invitation to a public debate, saying the Minister must first become a presidential candidate before he can challenge him.
Obi made the remark during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, while responding to questions about Umahi’s call for a debate.
Umahi recently called on Obi to come for a debate after the NDC presidential candidate called out the Federal government over the state of a road. Umahi insisted that President Tinubu’s infrastructure projects and appointments had transformed the South-East.
Responding to Chude’s question on Umahi’s call for a debate, Obi said
“First of all, I already started the debate by standing on that road and saying the road was bad. The only reply should have been that the road was good. But I thank him because he is now repairing the road, so the debate is closed. There is nothing else to debate.”
Obi maintained that if Umahi intended to challenge him in his capacity as a presidential candidate, the minister would first have to qualify for that position.
“If he is inviting me to a debate as a presidential candidate, then he has to become a presidential candidate first.
The World Cup is going on now. You cannot stay outside and invite a team that qualified for the World Cup to come and play against you simply because you think you are good. No. There is a qualification process.
I am a presidential candidate. Around the world, not all presidential candidates participate in debates. It is usually the leading candidates. It is like someone in Division One asking a Premier League team to play a match. No! You compete within your own circle. When he becomes a presidential candidate, then he can debate with those who are in that category,” he said
