Wole Soyinka Centre retracts statement on reason for postponing Osinbajo’s award

The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) on Tuesday said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo chose not to attend the presentation of Anti-Corruption Defender Award for which he was shortlisted.

This was to clarify an earlier statement issued by the WSCIJ Executive Director, Motunrayo Alaka, saying the award was postponed “to align with protests against the repression of freedom of speech in recent times.

Osinbajo, however, released the copy of a letter informing the WSCIJ of his inability to attend the award presentation.

Among the reasons he gave was that it would be “insensitive” to attend the event with the recent development concerning Sowore.

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In a statement on Tuesday, the WSCIJ executive director said: “We were wrong and the Vice-President is right.

“WSCIJ accepts the statement from the Vice President’s Office as the true position on its intended award to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

“An in-house communication gap caused the difference in the use of language and we accept responsibility for this.

“The WSCIJ stands by its intention to award the Vice President the Integrity Specialty of its Anti-Corruption Defender Award.”

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