Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has expressed admiration for former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, commending his courage and principle during the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary. Amaechi stood firm and refused to step down for President Bola Tinubu, despite significant pressure from party leaders and fellow contestants.
Speaking in Abuja at an event celebrating Amaechi’s 60th birthday, Soyinka recalled watching the APC primary live from Abu Dhabi. He said he was impressed by Amaechi’s determination to remain in the race, describing it as a true display of fighting spirit and democratic values.
“The main reason why I had to be here today is, first of all, that I admire Rotimi Amaechi’s fighting spirit,” Soyinka said. “The most memorable for me was watching the primaries live on TV all the way from Abu Dhabi. It gave me great, almost mischievous pleasure to see the incumbent president being given a dose of his own medicine.”
Soyinka drew a comparison between Amaechi’s defiance and Bola Tinubu’s own resistance during Olusegun Obasanjo’s presidency, when Tinubu opposed alleged efforts to amend the constitution for a third term. He explained that just as Tinubu once stood his ground for democratic principles, Amaechi did the same by refusing to withdraw from the primary.
“While everybody was conceding, there was one individual who got on the podium and said no, I’m not conceding. I didn’t come all the way here to commit ‘lúlẹ̀’ (fall flat). And that man was Rotimi Amaechi. And I said this is what democracy is all about,” Soyinka added.
In the 2022 APC primary, Tinubu won with 1,271 votes, while Amaechi finished second with 316 votes, and then Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo came third with 235 votes.
Soyinka’s remarks highlight the importance of standing by one’s convictions and the value of healthy competition in a democratic process.
