Presidential Poll: LP tackles Soyinka, accuses Nobel laureate of ‘exhibiting dual character’

"We will not allege selective amnesia as the reason for Soyinka's wrong prognosis but we would have expected him to be a statesman which we thought he was by remaining on the side of caution and not exhibiting dual character of someone who may be blinded by some chauvinistic tendencies."

The Labour Party (LP) has 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.

The Party’s reaction came about 24 hours after Mr Soyinka spoke at an event titled “ The lives of Wole Soyinka— A dialogue” which was organised by Africa in the world in South Africa on Wednesday.

During the discussion, Mr Soyinka accused the leadership of the opposition party of trying to force “a lie” on Nigerians, especially youth, that Mr Obi won the last presidential election when he did not.

Mr Ifoh said the LP had taken note of the statement that emanated from the Nobel Laureate, who as an institution, it has the utmost respect for.

“He is a Nigerian whose accomplishments in the literary world are without doubt intimidating,” the statement said.

“We understand that the literary giant is human and thus susceptible to emotions and probably said what he said based on information made available to him by those who share the ‘Emilokan sentiment’.”

Read the full statement below

SOYINKA: STATESMEN ARE NOT DOUBLE FACED, NOT BLIND TO TRUTH
The Labour Party took note of the statement that emanated from the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka who as an institution we have the utmost respect for. He is a Nigerian whose accomplishments in the literary world is without doubt intimidating.

However, we beg to disagree with his prognosis and personal opinion on the performance of our party during 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.

We understand that the literary giant is human and thus susceptible to emotions and probably said what he said based on information made available to him by those who share the ‘Emilokan sentiment’.

In Yoruba, ‘Gbajue’ refers to fraudulent activities like age, name or certificate forgery, 419 or narcotics trafficking, all of which are issues in the 2023 elections but not on the Labour Party’s part.

‘Gbajue’ in Yoruba also literally means ‘slap him/her in the face.’ Have all Nigerians not been slapped sufficiently in the face? Thanks to this man of letters for bringing this out albeit, advertently.

It’s rather interesting that the erudite Prof. Soyinka who owned up to having an electoral “monitoring unit” conveniently glossed over INEC’s legerdemain leading to substantial non compliance and erosion of constitutional dictates, just as he conveniently glossed over the INEC’s advanced ‘gbajue’ of 25 February that has surreptitiously installed the King of ‘gbajue’ in Aso Rock.

It is most befudling as well as disconcerting that a detribalised and activist Soyinka would succumb to the groupthink syndrome that subscribes to State Capture by those belonging to the criminal fringe by any means, based on primordial considerations.

We really appreciate him for at least giving some credits to Labour Party and its Presidential candidate for breaking the monopoly of power hitherto held by the two other parties. We also noted his admission of his willingness to be part of a demonstration which would be based on the banner of truth.

However we are aware that Soyinka resides in Lagos state and he was in Nigeria in February 25 when elections held in Nigeria. He watched probably with a glee when a certain individual in Lagos warned non-indigenes to vote a particular political party or risk being deported to their place of birth, and he never condemned it. He was there were ballot boxes were snatched by thugs in a polling booth right in front of his house, he didn’t condemned it. We are still looking for where he came out to condemn the unprovoked attacks on our supporters in Lagos by members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, during the last elections.

The whole world followed the 2023 general election in Nigeria and there was a global condemnation of not only the outcome of the election but also the process, particularly, the ‘glitching’ incidence that occured only during the transmission of presidential result to IREV. As someone who is known to demonstrate based on truth, we didn’t hear as much as a whisper from Kongi reminding INEC that stand by its word.

He also watched when Labour Party provided evidences of several defaced result sheets permitted and uploaded to the IREV by INEC particularly in places where Labour Party won, again the great Soyinka was astonishingly mute.

We will not allege selective amnesia as the reason for Soyinka’s wrong prognosis but we would have expected him to be a statesman which we thought he was by remaining on the side of caution and not exhibiting dual character of someone who may be blinded by some chauvinistic tendencies.

We would rather keep our impression about his recent dual personality with us. We want to also let him know that building a New Nigeria is a dream which time has come and Nigerian youths will not relent until such dream is realized

SIGN:

Obiora Ifoh
National Publicity Secretary
Labour Party

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/625698-presidential-poll-lp-tackles-soyinka-accuses-nobel-laureate-of-exhibiting-dual-character.html

Cornfessor Wole Soyinka is not to be taken serious. I mean this is a man who supported Buhari & went cowardly silent during the maladministration of the disaster only to give excuses that he is too old & that his time is past.

Immediately the emilokan rigged the election & stole the mandate of Nigerians, he suddenly became young & found back his time deriding those against the Status quo.

This man is a shameless educated tribalist who hovers like a vulture in the corridors of power after been paid by the highest bidder using grammer to deceive the gullibles.

Cornfessor Soyinka should never have been taken serious. He stands for nothing except bad goverance on the basis of get paid as he blows useless grammers to defend rascality, corruption & stagnancy

Dual character = Slippery as a snake = double speak/tongue -; a character well known & accepted from dat side of town

Serious, So these people are against Soyinka now? Honestly, LP and it's candidates were never ready.... They are highly undemocratic... No free speech, no personal opinion, they just want people to be following like Zombies

Soyinka took issue with how the 2023 polls were conducted - fact
Soyinka asserts that Peter Obi did not win - fact

These positions are not mutually exclusive.

Soyinka knocks conduct of 2023 polls

...Wole Soyinka, noble laureate, has faulted the conduct of the 2023 general election.

In an interview with Channels Television’s Roadmap 2023, which was aired on Monday night, the author said the polls were “not exactly the most edifying exercise that we’ve been through.”

Source: https://businessday.ng/politics/article/soyinka-knocks-conduct-of-2023-polls/

2023 elections has exposed many people

This corrupt leaders were playing main party and opposition at the same time for years deceiving the people

When last did you hear youths should get involved in politics?

When last did you hear youths should votes?

We now know people who are part of the establishment... They can no longer hide it

Headless mob

Why people are responding to extensions and enablers of the state capture of Nigeria beats my imagination.
All these 'renos' should be ignored.
Agbaya is a word that makes sense when you listen to some old fools.

Selectively silent on Tinubu's documented history as a narco bagman and efforts to continue shield his academic records.

Soyinka needs to stay alive by any means necessary . he did it with buhari then shamelessly went underground, he has come out again to do what he knows best . deceit

Everything that Soyinka said was absolute truth. Prof said LP was being used by an ex-Gen for military intervention, which was true, we all could remember that while election results were still being collated and announced at Abuja national center by INEC Chairman, OBJ Wrote one very stupid open letter to Buhari asking him to cancel the election, right in the middle of an election!, but trust Buhari, he used his letter to clean his cow's yansh. Na the same OBJ dey always dey carry Obi matter for back like agulu baby toad. When that failed, dem dey waka from one TV station to another, dey threaten CJN say make e no swear-in Tinubu, dem still waka enter military barack dey beg army to go take power. Plus including their pastors dey carry give dem fake prophecy dey talk say something miraculous go happen die minute on May 29 Tinubu no go enter.
Prof also said LP became a regional party, which was true. First time in 20yrs, PDP won zero SE state in the Presidential election, na their son dem all vote.

Wole Soyinka is just a jealously obsessed with the emilokan tribal sentiment mentality. Hence this was what made a so called educated Prof to goad the nation into accepting a disastrous Buhari that himself was a victim of his inglorious reigns as military head of state in 1983-1984. Today he is grandstanding with a drug baron

What is LP

Soyinka who had his Green card brought to him directly by Jimmy Carter

He's top 5 most globally rated Nigerians of all time

For LP. its a great privilege to be able to even speak with him

He told the whole world what you people are, that is why you are pained.

Chai..


LP is a great party,,

I know fight is part of the struggle,,

But it shouldn't be all about fighting people unnecessarily.

LP should work on creating better people's perception.

The Sage!

The labor party used to be a party of patriotic minds before it was overrun by desperate ticket snatchers who are hitherto second class in their original political party.

For example, Obi ran desperately from the PDP being a second class member of the party approached labor party and stole their presidential ticket just like that just in space of weeks and never made any efforts to persuade the original labour party presidential candidates before relegating them to the back seat.

Another example is the temporary governor of abia State who was a second class member of the APC and who desperately wants to gorvern through the back door approached the labor party for a shortcut route.

Same with all the representatives at both the state and national assembly elected through the party.

All of them are bunch of desperate ticket snatchers and should be kicked out of the party.

Obi and his minions are not just ticket snatchers, they are also trying to displace the original members and excos of the party who have been there for decades their rightful position.

LP I thought it's a Political Party.

This Party should as well allow us to calm and learn a format to follow this hard time.

Because there is nothing we can do. It's said; "If you don't know how to solve your problem, you better learn how to sit with your problem".

On a second note: Proff would had also fell short of that.

Ethnic jingoism and religious fanaticism have eaten deep into the system of the black man. Whether he is a Professor or an Illiterate.

Lmao these guys will not receive sense


But our hanty feminist shimanda adeshie is not a 2 faced perzin Abi?

Gbajue’ in Yoruba also literally means ‘slap him/her in the face.’

Mr.ufoh, you can’t under Yoruba more than Soyinka.

Gbajue is different from Gba Oju e.

Gbajue - Jibiti! 419!

Gba Oju e.. Slap him/her face. You can’t even use them in same context. If you tell somebody that Gba Oju e, it means Slap that fellow!

A times white hairs is not a true sign of truthfulness

Soyinka has sold his pedigree for a damn corn. Soyinka who was part of a protest against subsidy removal is now supporting a govt that removed subsidy and a member of the party saying they played politics against Goodluck Jonathan.

Terrible

Prof. plays down on electoral irregularities widely reported by international observers and concerned Nigerian citizens but more focused on Obedient movement which are trying to change the narrative of leave-and-let's-move-on with political misfits.It seems Prof. has veered and skidded off the path of activism and statesmanship and has adopted a political party considering his recent comments and thoughts on current trends in Nigerian political arena.

DatNiggaDaz:


Cornfessor Wole Soyinka is not to be taken serious. I mean this is a man who supported Buhari & went cowardly silent during the maladministration of the disaster only to give excuses that he is too old & that his time is past.

Immediately the emilokan rigged the election & stole the mandate of Nigerians, he suddenly became young & found back his time deriding those against the Status quote.

This man is a shameless educated tribalist who hovers like a vulture in the corridors of power after been paid by the highest bidder to use grammer to deceive the gullibles.

Cornfessor Soyinka should never have been taken serious. He stands for nothing except bad goverance on the basis of get paid as you blow useless grammers to defend rascality, corruption & stagnancy

Dual character = Slippery as a snake = double speak/tongue -; a character well known & accepted from dat side of town

ahannnn broda take it easy with the hypocrisy

What of Broda gbadebo that is gbadebo in Lagos,shinedu in Anambra and Patrick in obodo oyinbo

So he should be taken seriously Abi?

Mio like abosi o

The response discloses who they largely are.

After you have insulted a well known elderly Yoruba man, come in 2027 or 2031, to ask for support for your party, or people.

Don’t worry, we will be the first to support your party.

(Una never learn, and una no fit learn)

Labour party and Obidients are dangerous. You are the enemy once u are against their wish. They know they failed woefully in the last election but they just want to seize power by all means. They forget that Peter Obi can still come out soon to seek for votes from the masses.
We need to keep quiet and continue to watch them. If south east votes alone can bring Obi in then it's good for them. Let them continue to attack everyone, we are waiting comes 2027.