The Labour Party, LP, said the party’s Vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed will not engage in a debate with Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The party stated this in a statement signed by the Chief Spokesperson of its Presidential Campaign Council (LP-PCC), Yunusa Tanko on Saturday.

The statement reads, “Like many Nigerians we are bewildered by the late hour intervention of our respected Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka in issues around the flawed 2023 elections. Where was he all this while?

“One of those who should ordinarily and rightfully be honoured as the conscience of the nation, Prof. Soyinka is now criminalising dissent and infact weighing in on the side of fraud and injustice!
“We state therefore that the vice-presidential candidate of Labour Party, Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed cannot take up Prof. Soyinka’s offer of a public debate, not out of cowardice, but for cultural and political reasons.
“Culturally it’s just not decent, their age and accomplishment gaps taken into account, for Datti to sit opposite the 88 year-old global icon and point out his folly to his face, even if the old man called for it. And politically there is no basis for such a challenge in that Prof. is not on any of the opposite ballots.

“If however he can use his influence to drag his preferred candidates, who resisted debates throughout the campaign, to the studio this second, Datti says he is more than willing to take them on,” Tanko said.

Recall that the Nobel laureate had earlier challenged Baba-Ahmed to a one-on-one debate on Channels Television regarding the nation’s democracy.

Soyinka, in a statement titled “Fascism on Course,” released on Friday, challenged the LP’s vice-presidential candidate to a debate as regards his claims of Nigeria’s democracy ending if the President-elect, Asiwasju Bola Tinubu, is sworn in May 29.

Soyinka had stated, “May I seize this opportunity, by the way, to condemn the sanctions imposed on CHANNELS Television which anchored the performance of the LP candidate
“As stated, I watched the programme keenly – saw the valiant efforts of the interviewer to ensure fair hearing.

“I fail to understand just where the station could be faulted, except from a disposition for injustice. To sustain that penalty is to give joy to others who turn Internet into a soakaway for their rancid emissions, yet feel that others should be silenced.

“If CHANNELS feels up to it, I offer myself willing to engage Mr. Datti – or any nominee of his – on its platform on this very bone of contention – one-on-one – without the malodorous intervention of media trolls, and with the same interviewer as mediator.

“That should be taken as a serious offer,” Soyinka had said.

Source:https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/04/democracy-baba-ahmed-will-not-debate-with-soyinka-labour-party/

Soyinka should debate with FFK, Bayo Onanuga and MC Olumo.

Soyinka didn't speak about Tinubu fake certificate

After they will say that their elders are being disrespected. If Datti debates with him and take him to the cleaners they will wail, but they won't caution the old man to respect himself now

The combination of PO and DATTI is one that Nigria has not seen since 1960.

PO is calm, easy going, fearless, ,principled and honest.
Datti is calm, courageous, fearless, principled, bold and honest.
We are eagerly eager to see these daddies get back the mandate Nigerians joyfully gave them.
These are the real daddies for the new Nigeria.

Soyinka has never contributed any meaningful thing to Nigeria

XerXers:
After they will say that their elders are being disrespected. If Datti debates with him and take him to the cleaners they will wail, but they won't caution the old man to respect himself now

The wasterners, till this day, do not understand the distinction between respect and salutation.

“Culturally it’s just not decent, their age and accomplishment gaps taken into account, for Datti to sit opposite the 88 year-old global icon and point out his folly to his face, even if the old man called for it. And politically there is no basis for such a challenge in that Prof. is not on any of the opposite ballots."

This is common sense, let Tinubu request for a debate with Datti, I want to confirm something

That is it

If professor Soyinka insists, he can debate Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Good

Wisdom is knowing who not to engage even if they challenge you.
I hope some people learn from this.

What's chimamanda.

Even hateful Achebe who died of Wole Soyinka's hate doesn't match

FreedomfromtheT:
If professor Soyinka insists, he can debate Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Soyinka left real issues, the ethnic profiling and destruction of properties and lives of a certain ethnic group because of their democratic choice and was talking about Obidients movement who are seeking for a New Nigeria where things work

Truly, the man died in him

Stupid old man.

When tinubu was evading every debate what did soyinka say. Did he condemn it??


CORNfused soyinka!!!

I wonder why everybody talks about Obi and Datti all the time. Go and file your counter petition so the case can begin

I don't know why one of the world's greatest Nobel Lauret will offer to debate some crying crying baby voices.

Prof is very humble sha.

See his Nobel prize citation:

Winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature
Soyinka is the first Black person to win the Nobel Prize for Literature (1986). The motivation for the Prize was, “… who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence.”

No other person has been so described apart from Williams Shakespare.

And one old grand pa abi boy is comparing him to a storyteller.

Professor Wole Soyinka..

I am disappointed in Wole Soyinka. He is the one who introduced cultism into the Nigerian tetiary institutions. He failed as the Chairman of the FRC because he was unaaccountable with the finanaces of the commission.

He insulted a sitting President of Nigeria in the person of Jonathan, insulting his wife and took part in the numerous protest against the administration of Jonathan and was very instrumental in giving support to the Apc of Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Mohammed Buhari.

IIn the almost 8 years of Buhari's maladministration, in the face of Terror, killings, herdsmen, corruption, nepotism, religious bigotry, Inflation, and other disaster, Soyinka has been coldly silent with the excuse that his time has passed..that he is too old for anything and the youth should take control of their lives.

Suddenly, the Professor has finally found his voice again. This time insulting the youth eager to reclaim their mandate wiithout burning down houses and businesses and killing fellow Nigerians in blood soaked with the baboon.

It seems Soyinka has for long been representing the structures of criminality which the obidients movement is against hence the bile from the Sage against them.

You have lost your value. All gramner without standing on one side, always shifting positions.

Professor Wole Soyinka, if you stand for justice & equity, always stand to the end. Do not speak from both sides of the mouth. If you must speak or choose to speak when it favours only your interest, better don't speak at all and remain silent before ,now or in the future to always have a Balance Position in life that is absolutely devoid of hypocrisy, afterall you are a " Professor "

Thank you Sir