ANALYSIS: Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari misses presidential debate but spent millions to air ads during the programme

Despite the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari, not less than 4 different adverts were aired during the debate.
Checks by Business Insider Sub-Saharan Africa by Pulse show that a single advert on Channels Television during prime hour costs N292,500.
Kingsley Moghalu, Fela Durotoye and Oby Ezekwesili of the Young Progressives Party, Alliance for New Nigeria and Allied People's Congress of Nigeria had no single ad during the event.

Nigerian leader and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday missed a major presidential debate but his campaign team spent millions to air adverts during the programme, Business Insider Sub-Saharan Africa's analysis shows.

The 2019 presidential debate which was held at the Hilton Hotel, Abuja, the nation's capital, had three presidential candidates in attendance

The presidential candidates were Kingsley Moghalu, Fela Durotoye and Oby Ezekwesili of the Young Progressives Party, Alliance for New Nigeria and Allied People's Congress of Nigeria respectively.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, one of the leading presidential candidate also shunned the debate.

Despite the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari, not less than 4 different adverts were aired for the incumbent re-election bid.

Checks by Business Insider Sub-Saharan Africa by Pulse show that a single political advert on Channels Television during prime hour costs N700,000 to N900,000 (more than $810) for 2 minutes.

This amount is about N3.6 million ( about $10,00) in total, according to Channels Television advert rates.

The debate monitored by Business Insider SSA reporter shows that the presidency though a ministry supported two different adverts while a coalition group, Eko Plus support group supported another two ads supporting President Muhammadu Buhari during the debate.

Ezekwesili, Durotoye, Moghalu during 2019 presidential debate dailypost

For the debaters, Kingsley Moghalu harped on the need to have economic philosophy for the nation. He said good reform in the educational system and an investment in new businesses will create for jobs for the society.

Fela Durotoye, he analysed how aggressive land use for agriculture will increase the sector's value chain and more jobs for the citizens. He itemised housing policy and fixing of the power sector as the main driver of the Nigerian economy.

Oby Ezekwesili talks about lifting 8 million Nigerians out of poverty and enhance their productivity.

The debate was moderated by Mark Eddo of the BBC and organised by The Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) and Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).