You didn’t come second – Soyinka mocks Obi’s presidential election claim

Renowned literary icon, Professor Wole Soyinka, has made a clear and definitive statement regarding the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, asserting that Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) did not emerge as the victor, contrary to his claims.

According to Professor Soyinka, Peter Obi secured the third position in the election, not even the second. This statement comes in the wake of the recent decision by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to uphold the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. However, the challengers, including Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and third-placed Peter Obi of the Labour Party, have expressed their intention to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

In his remarks, Professor Soyinka acknowledged the significance of Peter Obi’s impact on the election, particularly in breaking away from the established political camps. However, he stressed that Obi did not secure a second-place finish as he claimed.

“In the recent election, two things happened first of all. One party took over the Labour movement which is one of my favorite movements also,” Soyinka stated in a viral interview.

“Then it became a regional party… whereas it was a marvellous bridge into the established two camps. Peter Obi achieved something remarkable there that he broke that mold. Yes. But, however, he did not win that election. I was in a monitoring organization. I can say categorically that Peter Obi’s party came third, not even second, and the leadership knew it.”

Soyinka expressed concerns that some might resort to misinformation and demonstrations to support their claims but emphasized that he would only be part of demonstrations based on truth.