Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has commended former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi for demonstrating courage and principle during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary in 2022. Soyinka highlighted Amaechi’s refusal to step down for President Bola Tinubu, describing it as a bold act of integrity.
Speaking in Abuja at an event to mark Amaechi’s 60th birthday, Soyinka recalled watching the primary election live from Abu Dhabi. He said he was deeply impressed by Amaechi’s determination to stay in the race despite intense political pressure.
“The main reason I had to be here today is because I admire Rotimi Amaechi’s fighting spirit,” Soyinka said. “It’s a consistent one. But what stood out for me — and I watched this event live all the way from Abu Dhabi — was the drama of the primaries. I wasn’t physically present, but I made sure to witness it, and I’m glad I did. It gave me a kind of mischievous, even rascally pleasure to see the incumbent president getting a taste of his own medicine.”
Soyinka drew a comparison between Amaechi’s defiance and President Tinubu’s own resistance during the Olusegun Obasanjo era. He recalled Tinubu’s stance against alleged attempts by Obasanjo to amend the constitution for a third presidential term.
“To clarify, I’m referring to the man who stood firm against a former president’s attempt to alter the constitution for a third term,” Soyinka said. “He denies it, but he and I — and many others — know the truth. During that time, the president sought to weaken the powers of the constituent states. Most governors gave in when their statutory allocations were withheld, but one man — Tinubu — stood his ground. Now, during the 2022 primaries, Rotimi Amaechi gave that same man a dose of his own medicine. I thoroughly enjoyed watching that.”
Soyinka emphasized that Amaechi’s refusal to concede — even as many others endorsed Tinubu — was a powerful display of democratic values and personal integrity.
“While others were quick to concede and step aside, there was one man who stood firm. He got on the podium and said, ‘No, I’m not conceding. I didn’t come all this way to fall flat.’ That man was Rotimi Amaechi. And I thought, this is what democracy looks like.”
In the APC primary, Tinubu won the ticket with 1,271 votes. Amaechi finished second with 316 votes, followed by then Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo with 235 votes.
