Soyinka's statement was supported by former President, West Africa Bar Association, Femi Falana, who expressed doubts on the ability of the leadership of Prof. Attahiru Jega to conduct free and fair election for the country. Falana alleged that 35 of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC's) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) are card carrying members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and thus would only be loyal to it.
Addressing a rally organised by the Pastor Tunde Bakare's Save Nigeria Group (SNG) at Onikan Stadium, Lagos Island, yesterday, Soyinka said it was high time Nigerians, especially the youth, started to see the country's future as their property worth dying for rather than continue to rely on him and others in his category as pilots.
He said, "Let this be the last time you will drag me out to talk about voting and election generally; enough of talking, let's match it with action; don't bring me out here again to come and tell you to register and vote in any election; enough of talking, just go out there to register and vote."
Soyinka noted that it was not enough to gather and talk about voters' registration, "It is not enough to sit here and ask for new voters' registration; we must all insist on how to do it and decide on what to do so that the people in charge of election will listen to us."
On the prospect of the newly constituted Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a credible election in 2011, Soyinka said he had enough respect and trust in both Jega and President Goodluck Jonathan to give the nation credible election next year and beyond.
Soyinka said, "I believe in Jega and President Goodluck Jonathan, I trust their ability to give us flawless election; the world is looking at you to give us this."
Also addressing the mammoth crowd, the Lagos activist-lawyer Femi Falana expressed disbelief on the REC list which he alleged was filled with card carrying PDP members, citing wife of the former deputy governor of Abia state, late Ogbonna Nwafor, Mrs. Dame Gladys Nwafor now contesting electoral position as an example. He described the withdrawal of Ambassador Muhammed Anka and Maj. Gen. A.B. Mamman as a camouflage to deceive Nigerians about his sincerity to give the country credible election.
Falana called for the total overhaul of INEC and the replacement of the REC list which he noted was designed to hoodwink Nigerians into falling prey to a well packaged deceit, querying the stay of the controversial REC in Ekiti State, Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo who he said ought to have been replaced and her salary stopped.
He, however, gave kudos to Profs. Jega and Lai Olurode and two undisclosed others and charged them to contribute their quota to the development of the country via credible election in 2011 and beyond.
He said, "the INEC set up by Goodluck Jonathan is meant to hoodwink Nigerians to believe they will conduct credible elections. Let me inform you that all the 37 RECs are card carrying politicians; they must be replaced if we are going to have credible election in 2011.
"Apart from Jega, Lai Olurode and two others, the rest of them are politicians; we are only being deceived by the removal of just two people from the REC list. We ask for total overhauling of the REC," he expressed.
The convener, pastor Tunde Bakare enjoined the youths to see Soyinka's poser as an overdue challenge that must be taken kindly with motive to take their destiny in their own hands, stressing that "Prof. Wole Soyinka has told us it is our time to take our destiny in our hands," he said.
He canvassed for new voters' registration list that would be devoid of foreigners as witnessed in the last election in Ondo State.
Speaking earlier, former governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos state represented by the Action Congress (AC) state chairman, Otunba Henry Ajomale urged Lagosians and Nigerians entirely to reject the 2006 voters' registration list, blaming the ongoing crises in the country on the flaws contained in the 2007 election.
Rounding off the event, Governor Babatunde Fashola described the event as the biggest after June 12 rally 17 years ago, calling on all and sundry to rise up and register, select their candidates, vote and defend their votes at the polling booths.
He urged the youths to organize several fora to query any political aspirant on his plan and achievements that would eventually justify their votes.