By Seyi Babalola
Vice-Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in February’s election, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, Saturday said he could not debate with an 88-year-old Wole Soyinka for cultural and political reasons.
In turning down a request earlier extended to him by Soyinka, Baba-Ahmed in a statement said he was declining the offer because he could not point out the folly of the Nobel laureate to his face in a public debate.
The statement reads: “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 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.
“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.”
Baba-Ahmed came under criticism for saying on Channels Television last month that swearing in Ahmed Bola Tinubu as president of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, would be against democracy.
Soyinka characterized Baba-Ahmed’s remark as fascist in response.
On Friday, Soyinka, in a statement titled “Fascism on course”, challenged the LP’s VP candidate to a debate.
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