Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has accused the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria of spreading misinformation about the results of the February 25 election. Soyinka stated that the LP knew that Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, had lost the election but attempted to force a false narrative on the Nigerian public, particularly the youth.
Soyinka made these remarks at an event titled “The Lives of Wole Soyinka — A Dialogue,” organized by Africa in the World, which took place in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
During the event, Soyinka was asked to comment on his previous remarks about Datti Baba-Ahmed, LP’s vice-presidential candidate, after the general election. He emphasized the importance of truth in his statements and noted that many people often seek shortcuts.
Soyinka also alleged that the LP leadership had attempted to mobilize young people to protest against the election outcome on the “banner of lies and deceit.” He expressed his willingness to participate in demonstrations but only if they were based on truth, not falsehood.
The Nobel laureate criticized the LP for trying to manipulate the truth and force a narrative contrary to the election results. He mentioned that Peter Obi’s party came in third place in the election, not second as claimed by the LP leadership.
Soyinka also revealed that certain clandestine forces, including some ex-generals, had called for an interim government before the election even began, suggesting that there were hidden agendas at play during the election period.
