Baba-Ahmed will not debate Soyinka — LP campaign office

The Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the just concluded February 25 election, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has declined a challenge from Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, for an open debate.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that this is based on a statement released by the media campaign of the party on Saturday.

The challenge was issued by Soyinka during an appearance on Channels Television, where he expressed concern over some comments made by Baba-Ahmed. The Nobel laureate had criticized Baba-Ahmed’s remarks during a separate interview with the TV station, which sparked backlash from supporters of the party.

In a reaction, the Head of the Obi Datti Media Office, Diran Onifade, confirmed in the statement that the LP’s campaign team would not be accepting Soyinka’s offer.

The statement partly 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?”