In response to a cyber attack from Obidients, a political movement supporting Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Professor Wole Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel laureate in literature, has criticized the group as the most repulsive he has encountered in any political arena. Soyinka had previously warned Obi about the excesses of his supporters. Despite this, in a recent statement released on Friday, Soyinka maintained his opposition to Obi’s running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed. The statement, titled “Media Responsibility,” was issued on Tuesday.
In a statement titled “Fascism on Course” released on Friday, Wole Soyinka is challenging the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party to a debate regarding his claims that Nigeria’s democracy will end if President-elect Asiwasju Bola Tinubu is sworn in on May 29.
Soyinka 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 said.