In a statement issued on Tuesday, the professor said that his recent interview with Channels Television was misrepresented and his comments could not be identified.
The television channel was airing a one and a half hour interview with Soyinka a week ago on Monday.
He maintained that his rejection of fascism was not new and that three times, he was able to send a message to Obi, that, if he lost the election, it was his followers who lost him.
He said: ‘What I have read – at least so far – this morning, from a year and a half long interview, conducted a week ago with Channels Television, once again puts highlight the critical responsibility of the media in the transmission to the public of the spoken word, even recorded.
“This is particularly important in a time of urban uncertainty.
When a remark is taken out of context, distributed into a new one, given a sensational headline, the distortion is stamped on public perception, and the target of one’s comment is completely unrecognizable goes.
“I denounced the threatening statements of a vice-presidential hopeful as improper.
It was a massive challenge directed at the judiciary and, by implication, the rest of the democratic political system.
“But what on earth has happened to my most compelling condemnation of the physical violence inflicted on those labeled as ‘outsiders’ in Lagos in the run-up to and during the gubernatorial election?
“This prejudicial selectivity is a betrayal of trust, and I find it contemptuous of the public deserving.
My criticism of proto-fascism in the movement remains based on indisputable evidence.”
Soyinka stated that throughout the interview, he kept emphasizing that the final word on the election had not yet been said – “this omission makes the whole message tendentious!”
“My rejection of fascism is nothing new. On three occasions I was able to send a message to Peter Obi that if he lost the election, it would be his supporters who would lose it for him.
It is disheartening to see his lieutenant, a prominent voice of a movement that has ‘broken the mold’, threatening the entire existence of society.
“Whatever our ideological leanings, is Donald Trump the ideal model for a thriving democracy in the nation?”
He said he also remains concerned about his alleged complaint about people not following “instructions”.
“If the recording is garbled, the speaker can be contacted for clarification – otherwise, simply delete the unclear part entirely to avoid miscommunication.
After all, piecemeal transfers are legitimate procedures as long as the parts are not presented as a whole.
“I am not a member of the Labour Party, so how can giving ‘instructions’ become my role?
Like a number of others, I certainly helped bring about this moment – going back many years – and it is painful to have the followers of such a movement send it sliding back and onto the fascist slant,” Soyinka said.
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