Tinubu Ignored My Advice Not To Run For Presidency, Says Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said President Bola Tinubu ignored his advice not to run for president, adding that his assessment of his (Tinubu) administration will come after one year in office.

Professor Soyinka stated this in Lagos when he fielded questions from State House Correspondents on Sunday.

He said that this had been his tradition with Tinubu’s predecessors over the years.

He said: “We met last five years ago and it was an embarrassing visit because I went to tell him not to run for office. 

“I told him and Atiku to leave the stage for young people. 

“I call him ‘olori kunkun’, which means the stubborn one. 

“He ignored my advice completely.

“I came to see him to find out how he is doing after neglecting my advice. 

“I wanted to see how he and his wife are faring. 

“I also came to wish them a merry Christmas.

“You know we are old friends. 

“And it was as a friend that I told him: ‘Don’t run.’”

The Nobel Laureate said that he presented a seven-point agenda to the President toward moving the country forward “in these trying periods”.

He said he would not want to disclose what he presented, but added that a critical aspect was that of respect for the rule of law and adherence to the constitution of the land.

Soyinka added that the discussion also centred on the release of various Nigerians languishing in prison for standing on some personal principles.

He added that he is optimistic that something positive would be done about the incarceration of prisoners of consciousness across the country.

Soyinka said he is aware President Tinubu may not be in the know of such cases due to the bureaucracy involved in governance.

He added: “That is the reason behind making this request.

“That is the way to get results for legal breaches.”