Presidential election: I advised Atiku, Tinubu to step down for younger generation – Wole Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka has revealed how he advised the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to step down for the younger generation.

Soyinka spoke while featuring on the Arise Television morning show on Wednesday.

Recall that Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, beating close rivals Atiku, and Labour Party’s Peter Obi.

Atiku and Obi have since headed to the courts to challenge Tinubu’s victory.

“When Atiku came to my office in Ikeja, he came with Gbenga Daniel, my former governor. I said to him listen is about the time you people left the stage. Why don’t you just go away? We need an infusion of fresh blood into the system,” Soyinka said.

“For some people, maybe they read it as blood-letting, no I said, an infusion of fresh blood. I said so I cannot support you. I think your generation should really quit. He was not the only one. I then sought out the current President-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, and I gave him exactly the same message.

“I said whatever you people are planning, I am convinced that when a younger generation, new thinking, new sensibility, new energies, so why don’t you just leave the seat.

“Let’s look for somebody who is a really brilliant individual and use your influence to catapult that person to power. And this country will see a massive transformation.

“We spoke for about one and a half hours, and then Bola Tinubu said no. He said there were still things he could contribute,” Soyinka added.