Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Wednesday slammed the Labour Party (LP) for trying to force lies on Nigerians as regards the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
Soyinka stated at an event titled “The Lives of Wole Soyinka — A Dialogue” hosted by Africa in the World in Stellenbosch, South Africa, that the LP’s leadership was aware that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had lost the February 25 poll.
After the March general elections, he was asked to respond to his remark on the LP’s Vice-Presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.
Soyinka stated that stating the truth is always important to him, noting that many people usually seek shortcuts, while accusing the leadership of the LP of attempting to put “a lie” on Nigerians, particularly youths, that Obi won the election.
“First and foremost, two things occurred during the recent election. “One party took over the labour movement, which is not my favourite movement, and turned it into a regional party,” he explained.
“However, it was a fantastic breach into the established two camps.” Peter Obi accomplished something extraordinary by breaking that mould. He did not, however, win the election.
“I can say categorically that Peter Obi’s party came third, not second, and the leadership knew it, but they want to do what we call in Yoruba ‘gbajue,’ which means ‘force of lies.'”
Soyinka stated in April that the comments made by LP vice-presidential candidate Baba-Ahmed on the judiciary were unacceptable.
Despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the election winner, Baba-Ahmed stated in March that the country has no president-elect.
The LP vice-presidential candidate claimed Tinubu will run an illegal administration if sworn in because the APC nominee “has not met legal requirements.”
Soyinka said in an interview with Arise TV at the time that Datti’s entire statement was unworthy, inappropriate, and dictating to the Supreme Court.
“I’ve never seen anyone on television threaten the judiciary like Datti did.” I heard the same threatening, blackmailing rhetoric that Datti used on us. “I don’t think we’ve all been striving for that kind of do-or-die attitude and provocation,” Soyinka added.
