Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) has threatened a legal action against publishers of a leaked audio conversation involving him and Bishop David Oyedepo who oversees Living Faith Church.
The purported discussion which was recently made public was said to have occurred before the February 25 presidential election which Mr Obi took part in.
A voice depicting the former Anambra governor sought the support of the cleric and his congregants while describing the race as a religious war due to the joint Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which the Labour Party intended but failed to oust.
Mr Oyedepo while reacting on Sunday during his sermon neither confirmed or refuted the controversial audio but said that politicians from different political parties do come to him for advice.
Mr Obi in series of tweets Wednesday night described the audio as doctored and fake, saying his legal team has been directed to file a lawsuit to that effect.
“I continue to thank all Nigerians, especially the youths and the Obidients, as they have remained focused on the core mission of a New Nigeria that is POssible even after the February 25, 2023 presidential election,” the statement reads.
“Before, during, and after the campaign, it is on record that I have maintained my commitment and focus on issue-based campaign about a New Nigeria that is POssible, a shift of emphasis from consumption to production, a New Nigeria characterized by inclusion, justice, equity, fairness, and prosperity.
“I repeatedly stated that no one should vote for me based on Tribe or Religion, but rather on the assessment of Character, Competence, Capacity, Credibility, and Compassion that can be trusted to create a New Nigeria!
“The present attempts by the APC as a Party, and the APC Led-government through some government officials and agencies to divert our attention from our blatantly stolen mandate is unfortunate and sad.
“These have come and continued to manifest in different ways, such as the malicious accusation of the Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed, the circulation of a fake doctored audio call, and a pressure on me to leave the country.
“Let me reiterate that the audio call being circulated is fake, and at no time throughout the campaign and now did I ever say, think, or even imply that the 2023 election is, or was a religious war.
“The attempts to manipulate Nigerians is very sad and wicked. Our legal team have been instructed to take appropriate legal actions against Peoples Gazette and others.
“While we call on all concerned Nigerians and the International Community to implore the APC and the APC Led-government to stop their nasty attacks, my focus and commitment to lawfully and peacefully retrieve our mandate to secure and unite our Nation, take Nigeria from consumption to production, pull millions of Nigerians out of multidimensional poverty especially in the North, and jumpstart prosperity through agricultural, industrial, and technological revolution remain unchanged.
“Elections are over, and we are in court to retrieve our stolen mandate. Let me reiterate that we are doing so through all lawful and peaceful options in line with our legal system and constitution, and I continue to implore all Nigerians to remain peaceful and law abiding.
“Those fixated with heating up the polity, creating divisions, tensions and hatred within and outside Nigeria should remember that Nigeria is our only country. Our focus should be on how to address the litany of challenges facing us, such as: flawed electoral processes, the parlous state of our economy, unsustainable debt burden, lamentable unemployment and inflation, insecurity, and multi-dimensional poverty. A New Nigeria is indeed POssible, and God will help us. -PO.”
Peoples Gazette, the news organisation that published the audio clip, says it stands by its reportage which “was sourced and properly authenticated in advance of running it.
“Peoples Gazette stands unflinchingly by the audio recording of Peter Obi and David Oyedepo as published on April 1, 2023,” Deputy Managing Editor of the news medium, Boladale Adekoya, said in a statement.
Mr Adeloya further stated that his organisation was prepared to go to any length to protect the source of the clip, suggesting that Mr Obi initiated the lawsuit with the aim that the organisation would be compelled to reveal the source of the telephone conversation leak at trial.
“Finally, we maintain in no uncertain terms that we will uphold the principle of source protection to any length,” Mr Adekoya added.
