The Presidential debate scheduled for today, Saturday, January 19, 2019 has begun.

The candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar respectively, refused to participate in the debate.

Vanguard had earlier reported that the spokesperson of the Atiku Campaign Organisation, Kassim Afegbua said his principal will not show up at the debate if Buhari fails to attend.

According to reports, Atiku returned to Nigeria from the United States earlier in the day, ahead of the debate.

In 2015, Buhari also boycotted the presidential debate that was organised ahead of the presidential elections.

The presidential candidates earlier announced to feature in the debate are: President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN); Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN); Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Kingsley Moghalu for the Young Progressives Party (YPP).

You can follow the minute by minute happening at the debate here.

More details later.