NewStats: 3,259,422 , 8,170,048 topics. Date: Saturday, 24 May 2025 at 10:25 PM 395n1m

Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka has revealed how he advised the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to step down for the younger generation.

Soyinka spoke while featuring on the Arise Television morning show on Wednesday.

Recall that Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, beating close rivals Atiku, and Labour Party’s Peter Obi.

Atiku and Obi have since headed to the courts to challenge Tinubu’s victory.

“When Atiku came to my office in Ikeja, he came with Gbenga Daniel, my former governor. I said to him listen is about the time you people left the stage. Why don’t you just go away? We need an infusion of fresh blood into the system,” Soyinka said.

“For some people, maybe they read it as blood-letting, no I said, an infusion of fresh blood. I said so I cannot you. I think your generation should really quit. He was not the only one. I then sought out the current President-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, and I gave him exactly the same message.

“I said whatever you people are planning, I am convinced that when a younger generation, new thinking, new sensibility, new energies, so why don’t you just leave the seat.

“Let’s look for somebody who is a really brilliant individual and use your influence to catapult that person to power. And this country will see a massive transformation.

“We spoke for about one and a half hours, and then Bola Tinubu said no. He said there were still things he could contribute,” Soyinka added.

DAILYPOST

Tinubu and Atiku don't mean well for Nigeria

I Can't imagine it....


😂👉
Stop putting the lives of your family in danger with septic tank that allows snake in the closets, which can cause snake bite or even death! To avoid this, build a biodigester today.

Can I call this campaign after election? I think people should just be very careful with their opinions and statements now, Nigeria is boiling.

Peter Obi

They will rather die in power. The youths must fight and take back their country.

This set of politicians have nothing else to offer

Greed will not let them...

You can see he gave the advice to only Tinubu and Atiku.....

This old fool will say and do anything, all in a desperate bid to remain relevant!

The top 3 candidates are not of the younger generation.

Peter Obi has been around since the days of Abacha.

Anyway, election is over and na Inauguration we dey wait for.

Odewaleadesoye:


DAILYPOST

Is that the only thing he said on the interview. I watched it. Can you also.post what he said about Datti Ahmed and the Obi movement.

Tinubu is too desperate to take such a good advice

He said there were still things he could contribute. At eighty-six eighty-seven years?

Okay o.
Be contributing, sir.

including obi too. 61 is not young but a grand pa.
anyone above 50 shouldn't be president

Why did u not tell Obi the same? Is Obi a young candidate?

I think I like this man and respect him a lot, though I'm convinced in Tinubu sha.
I have zero believe in Obi. Soyinka probably didn't scrutinize Obi enough.

SLOVFO:

And you did? What do you know about Obi outside what you read on Nairaland?

I know quite a lot about Obi modus operandi and governance, based on history, Slovfo.

ON GOVERNANCE (During his tenure)
-Doctors were on strike for 13 months.
-ASUU lecturers of Anambra University went on strike for 6 months.
-His investment of state's revenue in a beverage businesses that proved bad down the line.
-Poor infrastructure establishment marred his tenure but he is subjected to forgiveness as most governors of the time failed the test, as well.
-His turn over of the states revenue by the end of his 8-year tenure is either insignificant or too small, compared to other state.
-His successors also point debts his office accrued.
-The sheer tendency that comes with his false stats and figures, and the ensuing temerity.
-I will deliberately ignore his row and allegations with the popular "Pandora papers" claims, because he's managed to legally dodge it, so far.

To be fair, all these culminate in ineptitude. He was also briefly impeached, suggesting failure in a bid to put his cabinet in order.

ON MODUS OPERANDI
On the other hand, I hate how his campaign strategized on weaponizing religion apparition, especially as he attempted to us Yoruba into two heated Muslim and Christian divisive groups - an attempt capable of ravishing the peace and religious tolerance eternally enjoyed by my people.
His hypocrisy is also topnotch, as previously seen in case of the Sophia Gimba, although it's a core CV part of Nigerian politicians, generally

On a minor note, I extremely loathe the methods of campaign by his fans, termed 'Obidients,' for not only the absence of objectivity, but also the ills of their actions and insult of intelligence on anyone not considered or in the sphere of 'Obidients'.

I want to see more credible Igbo leaders like Soludo and Umahi, these have demonstrated their capabilities in their capacities.

Ahbi o.. those Old cargoes can't do anything better for this country

truth is bitter

bigjoe1000:
Tinubu is too desperate to take such a good advice

I love desperate people, politics has never been a tea party any where

Their desperation will always make them to loot the country dry.
The old order really needs to be changed, but Nigerians are not yet ready for young generation of rulers; they prefer those oppressing them

Bola and Atiku want to lead at old age regardless of the direction of their leadership, they just want to be called Mr president

Him go rule by force by fire, if not wetin him gain ....I like Tinubu a lot, if him just pick one young man and raise his hand up and that Mr Atiku do the same, Nigerians won't be grumbling now ...

All these old men should stop talking please.

That statement is incomplete. He went ahead to say he's among those who have a stake in the Obi and the movement agenda. Reason he was angered by Datti's comment on channels tv

That's not the only thing he said on the interview. I watched it from the beginning to the end.
Can you also publish what he said about Datti Ahmed and obi movements. Where he said Datti statements on Channels TV is near Treason and he disassociated himself from it. Stop putting half statements on these Forum.
Even the advise soyinka gave Atiku and Tinubu was way back before Obi jump from PDP to Labour part. Soyinka was nit even thinking about OBI when he gave that advise

Ashley86400:
He said there were still things he could contribute. At eighty-six eighty-seven years?

Okay o.
Be contributing, sir.

I love this design even though i am anti-obidient.

Hmmm

Is OBI younger generation. ?

And what generation might that be? The generation of a 61 year old religious warrior?

You think the Younger Generation are better than their fathers?
Take a look at Dimeji Bankole, Dino Melaye, Yaya Bello and His Wife (she was 35 while her husband was 41 when they became the first family of Kogi), Lucky Igbinedion, Ifeanyi Okowa (this one is been in for 24 yrs and has occupy influential positions) etc...

Do you consider that the younger generation is so impatient such that at 16yrs dey are already into Yahoo++ and they are not ready to use their mind for Ideation.

See ehn, the younger generation are more concern about Big Yarns, Big Bobby, BBN, Epl, getting High, Alomo etc...

As he be so ehn we need to start value Reorientation from homes ooo, if not once these younger generation takes over like this na to Sell Nigeria patapata.

Every body both politicians and non politicians. Knows deep down in their heart. That another 4 years repeat of Buhari istration will be catastrophic.

No well meaning Nigerian. Wanted APC back in power

The body language of everybody post election is making me wonder where APC got her votes from