I support any effort to sack APC, PDP but not a member of Third Force- Soyinka

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, Professor Wole Soyinka has said that he was not a member of any “Conveners’ Council or Third Force.”

He said that he was, however, in support of any group making efforts to ensure the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who are monopolizing the country’s political space, were sacked from the leadership of Nigeria.

The Nobel laureate stated this in a statement on Sunday, denying a newspaper publication that claimed he was a member of the Alliance for the Defence of Democracy (ADD), which currently is working, among other things, to produce a consensus candidate that will wrestle APC and PDP in the coming election.

“I am not a member of any Conveners’ Council or Third Force,” said Mr Soyinka, a professor.

“There is cooperation among several groups and individuals on various levels, but it is essential to clarify that my interventionist role is clarified so as not to compromise my own objective preferences which will be made only after Citizen Forum has concluded its own line of inquiry and guided itself accordingly.

“We are all collaborating, monitoring and collating preferences, acting in the same cause, aspiring to a creative and effective convergence, but in full respect for the independence of action of the various groupings,” Soyinka said.

The term Third Force refers to a political movement formed to provide Nigerians an alternative to the two major political parties, APC and PDP.

Soyinka was said to have attended the group’s meeting at the Sheraton Hotel on January 31, where the founders officially unveiled their mission.

But he denied being at the meeting, noting that it coincided with another event he attended, a meeting convened by Citizen Forum at Freedom Park.

At that event, Soyinka had denounced APC and PDP and said they were worthy of “absolute rejection” in the coming elections.

READ ALSO: Galadima reveals how Atiku’ll win N’West, says LG chairs paid N20m to rent crowd for Buhari

On the ADD meeting at Sheraton, he said, “I was invited, but I did not attend.

“I must state, however, that I fully endorse, and have encouraged the efforts of ADD and of other similarly motivated groups to identify a candidate to take the battle to the two parties currently monopolizing the political space and throw up a viable challenger for the occupancy of Aso Rock.

“Indeed, at the meeting convened by Citizen Forum at Freedom Park, coincidentally on that very day and time – I took pains to inform my audience of the ongoing meeting of the ADD, and its commendable purpose.

“I also mentioned the meeting of yet another group in Abuja which had been holding for over two days.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now