Africa’s first Nobel prize winner in literature, Professor Wole Soyinka has challenged the Labour Party Vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, to a one-on-one interview on Channels Television.
Wakadaily reports that Obi’s running mate had called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief Justice of Nigeria not to swear in Tinubu, who was declared winner of the just concluded February 25th election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Datti said “whoever swears in Mr Tinubu” has “ended Democracy” in Nigeria.
Reacting, Soyinka, in a statement titled “Fascism on Course,” released on Friday, is challenging the LP’s vice-presidential candidate to a debate as regards his claims of Nigeria’s democracy ending if the President-elect, Asiwasju Bola Tinubu, is sworn in May 29.
He 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 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.
