Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has leveled a serious accusation against the leadership of the Labour Party (LP), claiming that they deliberately tried to deceive and manipulate young Nigerians into protesting the election results using falsehoods.
Speaking at an event titled “The Lives of Wole Soyinka — A Dialogue” held in Stellenbosch, South Africa, Soyinka addressed the controversial issue. He was prompted to comment on his previous statements about Datti Baba-Ahmed, the LP’s vice-presidential candidate, following the general 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’s central allegation revolves around the LP leadership’s alleged attempt to exploit the youth by inciting them to protest against the election results. He expressed his willingness to join demonstrations but only if they were based on truth, not lies and deceit.
The Nobel laureate also criticized the LP leadership for their alleged intimidation tactics, particularly against the judiciary and other individuals, and warned of the potential consequences such behavior could have on the government.
“They were going to send some of the hardliners, proud young people into the street to demonstrate. I’m also ready to be among such demonstrators but only on the banner of truth not on lies, and deceit.
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“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.
In addition to these claims, Soyinka revealed that the LP leadership had taken control of the organized labor movement in the run-up to the 2023 election.
He acknowledged the significance of Peter Obi’s challenge to the dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but clarified that Obi had not won the election, finishing in third place.
Furthermore, Soyinka disclosed the existence of clandestine forces, including retired generals, advocating for an interim government even before the elections began. Some of these figures were well-known, and one even owned a university.
“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.”
The rift between Soyinka and the LP had initially emerged in March when Datti Baba-Ahmed, in an interview, questioned the legitimacy of the presidential election, asserting that there was no president-elect, despite Bola Tinubu’s declaration as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Soyinka criticized Baba-Ahmed’s comments, describing them as containing “fascistic language.”