The Labour Party (LP) has said that for cultural and political reasons, its vice presidential candidate would not debate with elder statesman and Noble Laureate, Wole Soyinka.
A statement from the campaign council said like many Nigerians, they were bewildered by the late hour intervention of their respected Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, in issues around what they described as 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 in fact weighing in on the side of fraud and injustice!
“We state therefore that the vice-presidential candidate of the 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, “ the party said.
According to the Labour Party, “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 Wole 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, “ the party added.
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