Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has reiterated his belief that Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not emerge as victors in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election. Soyinka contends that the two candidates, who jointly ran on the PDP ticket in 2019, essentially handed over the election to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by participating as separate candidates.

Soyinka expressed this perspective during a dialogue organized by 'Africa in the World' in Stellenbosch, South Africa, highlighting the importance of politicians taking responsibility for their choices.

He explained, "The mistake we all continue to make is our insistence on regarding the recent Nigerian elections as an adversarial thriller. The contrary is the truth. The ballot tally accurately reflected what happens when a political party splits itself in two, especially so critically close to an election."

Soyinka's view is that what initially appeared as a heated political contest ultimately became a voluntary donation of electoral outcomes due to the split within the political party. He suggests that the consequences of such choices can continue, driven by subsequent regret or external influences.

Furthermore, Soyinka mentioned the concept of an "Interim Peoples Party" (IPP) as a potential beneficiary in such situations, often aligned with the military. He pointed to a specific interview by Datti, which set the stage for such a re-entry.

However, Soyinka emphasized that the Supreme Court would ultimately have the last word on this matter, underlining the need for politicians and their associates to acknowledge the consequences of their decisions within the democratic framework.

In response to Soyinka's remarks, the Labour Party criticized him, suggesting that he exhibited a "dual character" and was influenced by "groupthink syndrome" in his comments regarding the party's performance in the 2023 general elections. The party's spokesperson, Obiora Ifoh, described Soyinka's comments as perplexing, especially coming from a respected statesman known for his activism and impartiality.