Soyinka knocks conduct of 2023 polls

Wole Soyinka, noble laureate, has faulted the conduct of the 2023 general election.

In an interview with Channels Television’s Roadmap 2023, which was aired on Monday night, the author said the polls were “not exactly the most edifying exercise that we’ve been through.”

He revealed that although he had been out of the country for some months, the news he met on his return were “horrendous” and unpleasant.

According to Soyinka, “On arriving, I came in for the World Poetry Day, and immediately, I was bombarded by the most horrendous narratives both pre and after the elections.

“Since then, I’ve also read columns; I’ve seen Nigerian papers for the first time in months and I didn’t like what I read at all.

“My trust has broken down completely and even the minimum restraint that we’ve learnt to expect from seasoned politicians have been jettisoned completely.”

The conduct of the 2023 general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been criticized by large spectrum of Nigerians and international observers.

Read also: INEC appoints nine SANs to defend elections at tribunal

They said the exercise was marred with widespread controversies, violence and suppression of voters across the country.

Several people have reported injured and death since the conduct of the poll ended.

Two closest runners up in the presidential election, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) have faulted the results of the presidential poll and are challenging it at the election petition tribunal.