The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Hassan Ayariga says he cannot participate in Tuesday’s IEA presidential debate.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Monday, Mr Ayariga –amid coughs – said he had prepared very well for the debate but cannot take part because he was suffering from malaria.

He also indicated that his major reason for opting out of the debate was also born out of respect for the late former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama who was interred on Sunday.

Ayariga said it was improper for the IEA to go ahead with the evening encounter just a day after the former veep was laid to rest.

He called on the IEA to postpone the debate.

However the Executive Director of the IEA, Jean Mensah who said the IEA was about 90 percent ready for the encounter stated the debate cannot be postponed.

She told Joy FM’s Kojo Oppong Nkrumah that Mr Ayariga’s decision was regrettable but the debate will continue as scheduled.

Meanwhile members of the PNC seem to be taken aback by the sudden decision of their flagbearer.

Atick Mohammed, a policy analyst for the party could not hide his disgust at the decision of his party’s flagbearer when he reacted to the news on the Super Morning Show. He believed Ayariga was only giving an excuse to chicken out of the debate.

He maintained that the party will not allow the flagbearer to continue to take such damaging decisions without consulting the party.