2023 Election: Tinubu ignored my advice not to run for presidency – Soyinka

Professor Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian scholar, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected his recommendation not to run for president in 2023.

The Nobel laureate, who paid Tinubu a courtesy call at his Lagos residence, said that he was there to check how the President and his wife were doing after disobeying his advice.

Soyinka told reporters after the meeting on Sunday that he had delivered a seven-point agenda to the President during his “embarrassing” visit.

He said; “I came here with a seven-point agenda. And we had a very thorough discussion on those items. Actually, it’s an embarrassing visit because when I visited him the last time, it was to try and persuade him not to run for office.

“I told Atiku and himself to please leave the ground so young people could run. That’s the last time we met about five years ago. So I came to see how he was doing after ignoring my advice. I came to see how both he and his wife were weathering Nigeria, and to wish them a Happy Christmas”.

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TopNaija reported earlier that Soyinka said that he would reserve all his observations about President Bola Tinubu’s administration until one year into his tenure in May 2024.

The literary icon explained that it was his personal policy, as he often gives presidents one year in office before giving his opinion about their performance.

Soyinka, who was very vocal against Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, emphasized that the one-year delay gives the President enough time to “make up” for lost grounds.

The novelist then stated that around the same time next year he should be asked the same question about Tinubu, and they will get his answer.