Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has claimed that Peter Obi urged his followers, known as 'Obidients', to attack him and others on social media before the 2023 presidential election.

In May 2023, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, visited Prof. Soyinka after facing criticisms from Obidients on social media for comments he made about Datti Baba-Ahmed, the LP's vice-presidential candidate.

Soyinka, unhappy with the attacks, criticized the Obidients for their inability to accept constructive criticism.

In an effort to diffuse tensions on social media, Obi met with the Professor. Reports described their meeting as reconciliatory, but Soyinka clarified that there was no need for reconciliation between him, Obi, or the Labour Party.

"Let me clarify: I know Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. I can relate to him. I know and can relate to the Labour Party on whose platform he contested elections. There are simply no issues to reconcile between those two entities and myself.

“However, I do not know, and am unable to relate to something known as the ‘Obidient’ or ‘Obidient Family’. Thus, albeit in a different vein, any notion of Reconciliation, or even relations – positive, negative, or indifferent – with such a spectral emanation is simply grasping at empty air,” he said. Adding that there was nothing like ‘reconciliation’.

“It simply did not arise. By contrast, there were expressions of ‘burden of leadership’, ‘responsibility’, ‘apology’, ‘pleading’, ‘formal dissociation from the untenable’, all the way to the ‘tragic ascendancy of ethnic cleavage’, especially under such ironic, untenable circumstances. Discussions were frank and creative. The notion of Reconciliation was clearly N/A – Non-Applicable. It was never raised,” he stated.

Soyinka asserted that he was aware of Obi's control over the Obidients who attacked him online. He expressed his hope that Obi would not run for the next election, as he believed Obi and his team were unfit to lead the country.

“I hope for the sake of the nation that he doesn’t express interest in the next election because for me as a leader, if there was any proof that he was unfit to lead that country, it’s in the conduct which he encouraged among his followers.

“I know for a fact, and I can give you an instance which proves that he was in control of those forces,” he said.

Recalling an incident where he witnessed Obi's influence over the Obidient Movement, Soyinka described a meeting where Obi's actions contradicted his public statements. Soyinka stressed the importance of honesty and integrity in leadership.

“It’s simply because when he first came to visit me, you know, he did come at one time. And I watched him. I watched his actions, body language, it seemed to be very conciliatory.

“I remember the moment when he took out his (mobile device) after he made a statement like ‘Oh don’t worry. You don’t have anything to worry about these people.’ He was talking about ‘Obidients’. I remember he took out his phone and he typed a message there. I was watching him very closely; I didn’t say a thing. And after that, everything seemed to be nice and cozy.

“And I saw and I read his statement about that meeting afterwards. The statement was a contrast to what actually happened, what we discussed and I mentioned it in my response.”

Soyinka concluded by reaffirming his previous statements and actions, highlighting the necessity of truth and transparency in public discussions.

“When I meet somebody who is incapable, even at a meeting which is supposed to be reconciliatory, of being completely honest. I look at that person and smile to myself. Of course, when I got to Stellenbosch and I was asked a question about this, I repeated exactly what had given ‘offence,’ only this time I made it even stronger. I said Peter did not win this thing (election). So I led them again to go on the rampage and I went on about my own business.

“Don’t take my word for it, there were witnesses at the meeting. He came with two people and one person was from my side. Ask them! The statement he put out was not a reflection of what went on at that meeting, which I very reluctantly considered.”