Soyinka to FG: Explain your role in governors’ blockade

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has charged President Goodluck Jonathan to speak out on recent blockade of some governors by security agents from a rally organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.

Addressing the media in Lagos on Saturday, Soyinka said Nigerians want to know who authorised the blockade which he described as an unconstitutional.

A visibly angry Soyinka told newsmen at the conference, “That embarrassment must stop. So we will not be satisfied with anything less than making us know who gave the order. If that does not happen, we will set up a citizen’s court.”

Expressing his resolve, Soyinka said, “We did it in the fight against Abacha, and for Albashir of the Sudan. We got victims, witnesses and journalists to come and testify on the violation of human rights. We will ask for international help. If we can’t hold it here, we will hold it elsewhere.”

It will be a shame if we are forced to hold it outside. We will place the government on trial. This must the very last time that such an incident will happen. I still can not believe that this thing happen. It appears like some kind of fantasy, some kind of Nollywood film.''

Soyinka also called on the National Assembly to set up a commission of inquiry to unravel those behind the act, even as he regretted that the military dishonoured itself for accepting to be used to influence a democratic process.

He also called urged the affected governors to seek redress in court, describing the matter as a dangerous precedent that should not be swept under the carpet.

“For me, to prevent governors from entering Ekiti is unconstitutional. The matter should be charged to court. Supposed the governors were thugs, we will say that what the army did was constitutional. When the army starts acting like thugs, I see no difference between their action and waylaying the governors.

“So I am asking the military; when did you take up the job of electoral thugs? The governors should sue whoever is responsible,” He said.

Dotun Omolaja