Posted by By TOPE ADEBOBOYE on
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka on Monday called for the arrest and prosecution of Ibadan top politician and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Lamidi Adedibu. He also, publicly endorsed the candidature of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential standard bearer, Professor Pat Utomi.
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka on Monday called for the arrest and prosecution of Ibadan top politician and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Lamidi Adedibu. He also, publicly endorsed the candidature of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential standard bearer, Professor Pat Utomi.
Soyinka, who addressed the press in Lagos, said that for hijacking electoral machines and keeping them in his Molete home, Adedibu deserves arrest and prosecution, wondering why the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was scared of making a scapegoat of the Ibadan politician.
Said Soyinka: "This is a man who was caught with his pants down, a man who had the property of INEC in his possession. I read somewhere that INEC was complaining that it had no powers to arrest anyone. Has INEC lodged a formal complaint with the police? On one hand, it is the failure of INEC as well as a failure of the police. Iwu (INEC chairman) was saying a while ago that he would jail anyone who rigs elections. Now that there is an opportunity for him to begin the process of jailing, he's saying something else."
The celebrated writer, who decried the apparent unequal application of the law in the country, noted that Adedibu must be under powerful protection for him to be walking about free.
"So who are the real godfathers here? Adedibu is spoken of as a godfather, but obviously, even the godfathers have godfathers. This man was caught with materials to which he was not entitled, which he had no rights to have in his possession and nothing seems to be happening. Some people get away virtually with murder in this country. Some have done so. That is because of the unequal application of the law," he said.
Soyinka, who regretted his inability to participate in the just concluded voter registration exercise due to INEC's alleged inefficiency, said the nation was slipping into a feudal monarchy where an individual chooses what laws are applicable and to whom they are applicable.
Reacting to the spate of criticisms that trailed his recent call on Nigerians to reject the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, at the forthcoming polls, the writer said most of his critics were deliberately peddling falsehood instead of addressing issues.
According to him, certain individuals, like columnist Mohammed Haruna; former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; former Information Minister, Tony Momoh and Afenifere chieftain, Femi Okurounmu, distorted facts in their reactions.
The playwright, who regretted a statement attributed to Momoh that he (Soyinka) started cultism in Nigerian universities, threatened court action against the former minister if such allegations were repeated.
He also denied an accusation by Alhaji Musa that he founded the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), noting that OPC founders were still alive in the country.
While endorsing Utomi's candidature, Soyinka appealed to Nigerian youths to protect their votes before, during and after the elections.
"It is up to the youths in this nation not only to ensure that votes remain sacred, but to work to take back their nation. The nation has been in the possession of profligate people, of murderers, of rapists of human dignity. The youths should take back their nation. It is not just youths, in terms of age, but youths in terms of mentality. I'm talking of youthful thinking," Soyinka stated.
He also denied that he asked Nigerians to shun the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua, saying he only called for the rejection of the PDP as a party.
Also speaking, Utomi thanked Soyinka for his trust and pledged never to disappoint Nigerians. He disclosed that he had also been endorsed by other credible Nigerians, including eminent economist, Professor Sam Aluko and Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
He called on Nigerians to support his quest for the presidency, claiming that the challenges before Nigeria would only be adequately addressed by a man like him, who has a deep passion for the country.