Adeyemi Abdulkareem
In a recent statement, Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has suggested that the electoral triumph of President Bola Tinubu was influenced by the actions of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, who diverged from his previous political ally, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party. Soyinka made these remarks during a dialogue event organized by ‘Africa in the World’ in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Soyinka emphasized the importance of politicians taking responsibility for the repercussions of their choices. He highlighted that the outcome of the Nigerian elections in 2023 was not a fierce competition but a consequence of a political party splitting close to the election, effectively transforming it into a voluntary sharing of electoral gains. Soyinka hinted at an influential but unregistered entity known as the “Interim Peoples Party” (IPP) that may have played a role. He also noted that history tends to repeat itself in the West African sub-region when the military becomes involved.
Soyinka clarified that, barring a sudden “patriotic intervention,” the Supreme Court would have the final say in this matter. He firmly stated that Peter Obi did not win the Nigerian 2023 elections, as he and Atiku Abubakar jointly contributed to the election’s outcome before the actual voting took place.
During the event, Soyinka accused the Labour Party of attempting to deceive Nigerians regarding the election’s results. In response, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, supported Soyinka’s statement, arguing that Obi’s claims lacked evidence and were based on assumptions. Arabambi also criticized the reaction of the party’s factional Chairman, Julius Abure, as disrespectful. He affirmed that the party acknowledged its defeat in the election and criticized Obi and Abure’s attempts to challenge it.
