Yunusa Tanko, the chief spokesman of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (LP PCC) has said Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Party’s vice presidential candidate will not debate with renowned playwright, Wole Soyinka.
Information Nigeria had reported that the Nobel laureate said he was willing to engage the LP vice-presidential candidate on the recent Channels Television contentious interview or any of his nominees if the station was willing.
Soyinka who disclosed this on Friday while condemning the five million naira fine imposed on Channels by the National Broadcasting Commission said, “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 TV 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.”
But Tanko on behalf of Obi-Datti Media Office via Twitter on Saturday queried where the professor has been since the period issues emanated from the conduct of the 2023 polls.
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According to him, the novelist is weighing on the side of fraud and injustice, adding that Baba-Ahmed will not take up the challenge for cultural and political reasons.
His words: “Like many Nigerians we are bewildered by the late hour intervention of our respected Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka in issues around the 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 infact weighing in on the side of fraud and injustice!
“We state therefore that the vice-presidential candidate of 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.
“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. 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.”
