Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has nailed Peter Obi of the Labour Party, saying he did not win the 2023 presidential election as he is claiming.
Soyinka, in a video obtained by DAILY GIST, was heard saying “This recent election – two things happened first of all. One party took over the labour movement, which is not my favourite movement, and then it became a regional party more than, whereas it is a marvelous bridge into the established two camps.
The Nobel laureate, said the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) knew that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate, lost the February 25 election.
Soyinka accused the leadership of the opposition party of trying to force “a lie” on Nigerians, especially youths, that Obi won the election.
The Nobel laureate spoke at an event titled “The Lives of Wole Soyinka — A Dialogue” organised by Africa in the World.
The event took place on Wednesday in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Recall in March that Soyinka and LP were at loggerheads over comments made by Baba-Ahmed on the outcome of the presidential election.
While speaking at the event, Soyinka was asked to react to his comment against Datti Baba-Ahmed, LP vice-presidential candidate, after the general election.
Soyinka said the truth matters to him, noting that many people always look for shortcuts.
The Nobel laureate said he was armed with facts when he invaded a radio station in Ibadan in 1965.
He added that he was not relying on “third-hand information” about the result of the 1965 regional election.
Soyinka accused the LP of taking over the organised labour movement in the build-up to the 2023 election.
He noted that Obi achieved “something remarkable” by breaking the monopoly of power established by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“This recent election – two things happened first of all. One party took over the labour movement, which is not my favourite movement, and then it became a regional party,” he said.
“Whereas it was a marvellous breach into the established two camps. Peter Obi achieved something remarkable there, that he broke that mould. However, he did not win the election.
“I can say categorically that Peter Obi’s party came third not even second and the leadership knew it but they want to do what we call in Yoruba ‘gbajue’, that is force of lies.”
Soyinka also alleged that the LP leadership attempted to mobilise young people to protest against the outcome of the election on the “banner of lies and deceit”.
“They were going to send some of the hardliners, proud young people into the street to demonstrate,” he said.
“I’m also ready to be among such demonstrators but only on the banner of truth not on lies, and deceit.
“This party wanted the same thing (referring to 2011 post-election violence) to happen on the basis of a lie and we find this vice-presidential candidate on television boasting, insisting, threatening and trying to intimidate both the judiciary and the rest.
“What kind of government will result from that kind of conduct? In addition, they did not know this but they were being used.
“Before the election, there were certain clandestine forces, including some ex-generals, who were already calling for an interim government before the elections began.
“Some of them were known figures, including a proprietor of a university calling for an interim government before the election took place.”
Reacting the Labour Party (LP) accused Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka of “exhibiting dual character” over his comments alleging the leadership of the party knew their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, lost the 25 February election but is trying to lie to Nigerians.
In a statement issued Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the LP said it disagreed with Mr Soyinka’s “prognosis and personal opinion” on the performance of the party in the 2023 general elections.
“The facts are before the courts and out of respect for our judiciary, we will reserve our comments until the Supreme Court makes a final pronouncement,” the statement said.
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