Bring your ‘preferred candidates who resisted debates to face Datti LP fires back at Soyinka

The Labour Party has declined the invitation request by Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka to its Vice Presidential Candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed.

In a statement by its media office on Saturday, the LP said there was no basis for debate between Datti and Soyinka.

It however him to present his preferred presidential candidate, who shunned debates during the campaign, for a one-on-one with the LP vice-presidential candidate.

“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,” the statement reads.

“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.”