Politics

JUST IN: LP Carpets Soyinka Over Comments On Obi, Datti

Published

2 years ago

September 14, 2023

The leadership of Labour Party has chided Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, for accusing the opposition party of attempting to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, won the February 25 election.

The objection is coming in the wake of Soyinka’s declaration on Wednesday at an event titled, “The Lives of Wole Soyinka — A Dialogue,” which was held in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

The renowned writer had claimed the party was aware Obi that came third but the leadership persisted on playing ‘Gbajue’ (to force a lie) on the people, especially the youthful population.

When further asked to clarify his previous statement on the LP vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, after the general election, Soyinka reiterated that he was committed to the truth.

His utterances, however, didn’t sit well with the camp of Obi and the Labour Party.

Reacting in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, said Soyinka’s statement was not expected of someone who is highly revered as a “detribalised” statesman.

In the release titled, ‘Soyinka: Statesmen are not double-faced, not blind to truth,’ Ifoh noted that they couldn’t imagine that the playwright could stoop to the ‘groupthink syndrome’ based on “primordial considerations”.

A groupthink syndrome is a phenomenon that occurs when a group of individuals reaches a consensus without critical reasoning or evaluation of the consequences or alternatives.

He said, “Prof. Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian whose accomplishments in the literary world are without doubt intimidating. However, we beg to disagree with his prognosis and personal opinion on the performance of our party during the 2023 general elections. The facts are before the courts and, out of respect for our judiciary, we will reserve our comments until the Supreme Court makes a final pronouncement.

“We understand that the literary giant is human and thus susceptible to emotions and probably said what he said based on information made available to him by those who share the ‘Emilokan’ sentiment.

“It is most befuddling as well as disconcerting that a detribalised and activist like Soyinka would succumb to the ‘groupthink syndrome’ that subscribes to state capture by those belonging to the criminal fringe by any means, based on primordial considerations. We really appreciate him for at least giving some credits to Labour Party and its presidential candidate for breaking the monopoly of power hitherto held by the two other parties.”

Continuing, the spokesman also expressed disappointment that Soyinka decided to take sides rather than condemn some anomalies in the build-up to the last general elections and the abysmal performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Ifoh, however, concluded that Soyinka is a Nigerian and equally entitled to his opinion.

“The whole world followed the 2023 general election and there was a global condemnation on not only the outcome of the election but also the process, particularly, the ‘glitch’ that occurred only during the transmission of presidential result to IREV. We didn’t hear as much as a whisper from Kongi on reminding INEC to stand by its word.

“We will not allege selective amnesia as the reason for Soyinka’s wrong prognosis but we would have expected him to be a statesman, which we thought he was by remaining on the side of caution. We want to also let him know that building a New Nigeria is a dream whose time has come and Nigerian youths will not relent until such a dream is realised,” he said.

Politics

PHOTO: Rivers Residents Throng Govt House To Welcome Fubara

Published

8 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

Rivers State’s capital is a sea of jubilant supporters on Thursday as Governor Siminalayi Fubara is expected to triumphantly return to office following the end of the state’s six-month emergency rule.

Throngs of residents, politicians, and key stakeholders have converged on the Government House in Port Harcourt, eagerly awaiting the governor’s arrival.

The atmosphere is one of profound relief and celebration, with various groups dressed in their uniforms, standing outside the gates and anticipating the moment their leader will make his appearance.

The collective joy reflects the widespread satisfaction with the restoration of democratic governance.

Residents who spoke with Nigerian Television Authority expressed their delight, with many voicing hope that the state will now usher in a new era of development and progress.

As the governor prepares to resume his duties, all eyes are on the renewed promise of stability and accelerated development for the people of Rivers State.

“Although the governor has yet to arrive at the Government House, various groups clad in their uniforms are standing outside the gate, anticipating his arrival”, NTA report indicated.

Residents of the state who spoke with NTA News expressed satisfaction over the restoration of democratic rule in the state, expressing hope that the state would now witness more development.

Politics

Rivers: Supporters Disappointed As Fubara Fails To Show Up

Published

8 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

Thousands of supporters who had thronged the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday morning to welcome Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, went home disappointed after waiting for hours.

Many of the supporters, who came as early as 6 a.m. from different parts of the state, including rural areas, started leaving the Government House entrance between 12 noon and 1 p.m.

Some of their leaders, including the immediate past local government chairmen loyal to Fubara, were seen making frantic calls as the whereabouts of the governor remained unknown as of 1 p.m.

Among the sacked LG chairmen who led their supporters to the Government House in anticipation of the governor’s return were the former chairman of Obio/Akpor, Chijoke Ihunwo, and his counterpart from Port Harcourt City, Ezebunwo Itche-Mati, among others.

Politics

JUST IN: Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-month Suspension

Published

11 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The Rivers State House of Assembly has resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Thursday.

President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.

The plenary is being presided by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule,at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.

The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex.

On March 18, Tinubu declared emergency rule in the oil-rich state in the wake of a prolonged political crisis arising from the rift between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

More to come…