Soyinka lauds Amaechi’s defiance during 2022 APC presidential primary
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has commended former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for refusing to withdraw from the 2022 presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in favour of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on Saturday at Amaechi’s 60th birthday celebration in Abuja, Soyinka described the former Rivers governor’s stance as an act of political courage and a vital expression of democratic spirit.
The playwright revealed he watched the APC primary live from Abu Dhabi and was impressed by Amaechi’s refusal to concede, despite pressure on other candidates to step down.
“It gave me a rascally pleasure to watch the incumbent president being served a dose of his own medicine,” Soyinka said, referring to Tinubu’s own past defiance during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s controversial third-term bid.
Soyinka noted that Amaechi’s actions reminded him of Tinubu’s stand years ago when he resisted attempts to centralize power, calling him “the last man standing” at the time.
“During the primary, Amaechi stood firm while others were conceding. He got on the podium and declared he wasn’t going to step down. That is the essence of democracy,” Soyinka added.
In the 2022 APC primary, Tinubu secured the party’s presidential ticket with 1,271 votes. Amaechi came second with 316 votes, while then Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo received 235 votes.
Soyinka’s remarks come as political observers continue to assess the dynamics that shaped Tinubu’s eventual emergence and the future roles of other key contenders like Amaechi.
