By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The federal lawmaker that represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District on the 8th National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani has advised the Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 25, 2023 general elections, Baba Ahmed Datti not to yield to the public debate challenge from Prof Wole Soyinka.
According to the Comrade Senator, it is improper and un-African to debate with elders no matter how unpalatable their statement and utterances are and even if his views differ from yours.
The former Kaduna Senator who reminded that Kongi (Soyinka) is our national asset, noted that the exception to this rule of not debating with elders is when such an elder is employed to talk as spokesman.
He therefore enjoined Datti to instead debate with the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in the event that he wishes to engage in public debate with anyone.
Recall that Lai Mohammed had while granting interview in London with Internationalmedia organisations, warned Peter Obi and Datti against inciting violence over the outcome of the presidential election..
The minister accused Obi of inciting people to violence while seeking redress in court over the outcome of the election.
In his words: “Obi and his vice, Datti Ahmed cannot be threatening Nigerians that if the president-elect, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is sworn in on May 29, it will be the end of democracy in Nigeria.”
“This is treason. You cannot be inviting insurrection, and this is what they are doing.
“Obi’s statement is that of a desperate person, he is not a democrat that he claimed to be.
“A democrat should not believe in democracy only when he wins election.”
The minister said there was no possibility of victory for either Obi or Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in their challenge of the election results.
Shehu Sani who took to his verified Twitter handle @ShehuSani to offer the advice said:
“Datti should not debate with Soyinka; In Africa, it’s improper to debate with elders, no matter how unpalatable comes their words. Kongi is our national asset even if his views differs from yours. But if Datti wants to debate with Lai it’s ok, he’s employed & paid to talk & talk.”
Sundiata Post recalls that Wole Soyinka had on Channel television program last week blasted Datti Baba-Ahmed for threatening that swearing in of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu on the 29th of May 2023 will mean an end to democracy in Nigeria because he (Tinubu) did not meet the constitutional requirements. Soyinka, during the interview, asked Channels Television to organise a live debate between him and Datti.
Further recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu declared Tinubu winner of the February 25 2023 general election adjudged by some as the worst election in history.
Also, the Labour Party in reply to Soyinka’s debate request, said that Datti is rather ready to debate publicly with Soyinka’s favourite candidate.
Recall the Obi as well as Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar with PDP are in election petition tribunal contesting the declaration of tinubu as winner of the election by INEC.
