NOBEL laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has provided 60 reasons as to why Nigerians should not re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan in the forthcoming elections urging Nigerians to search their conscience and be objective before casting their votes.

Speaking yesterday during the presentation of 60 finalists of the Vision of the Child Competition entitled: Road to Sambisa, which took place at Freedom Park in Lagos, Professor Soyinka denied recent reports that he had endorsed President Jonathan. He added that stories published online saying he had offered his support to any candidate were untrue, pointing out that Nigerians need to examine candidates properly before voting for them.

Professor Soyinka said: "It is impossible to talk of today’s election without thinking of what happened to your colleagues, your siblings, your peers in the village called Chibok. It is not possible to think of the future of this nation in the sense of responsibility without that albatross called Chibok.

"Coming to the fore of our contemplation, I think that why I was being killed on the internet is probably because of this very event, because those who began to advertise my death on the internet probably know already what I stand for over the election which is also why all kinds of statements have been made. ’I have never spoken a word about this election so anything which you read on the Internet as interviews or recent statements is not mine."

According to Professor Soyinka, he could give at least 60 reasons for not voting for the continuation of this present government. He added that he will not vote for this government or encourage anybody to vote for the continuation of this present government, simply because of the Chibok saga.

"So, anybody who says that I will vote or cast my vote or encourage anyone to vote for this regime must be living in Sambisa Forest. There has been a failure of leadership, so our children who you represent today have been betrayed.

"They were betrayed because no action or appropriate action was taken to retrieve your colleagues who were stolen from under our noses, 10 days before this government even accepted that they were missing. Your colleagues, numbering over 200 were kidnapped after we sent them on a mission – education, enlightenment, examination, to rub minds with their peers and they disappeared and the government of the nation failed to show leadership," Professor Soyinka added.

Nigerianwatch