Since Saturday night when online news platform, Peoples Gazette, released an audio where Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, described the 2023 election as a religious war, the issue has been trending on social media.
In a leaked audio, Obi was heard telling Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church Worldwide, aka Winners Chapel, to help him get votes from Christians in South-West.
He stated that the votes were needed because the 2023 presidential election was a religious war.
The audio had attracted criticism for Obi, with some of his supporters saying it was doctored.
But in a statement in the wee hours of Sunday, Okonkwo verified the authenticity but claimed it was taken out of context by critics.
Below is the word for word conversation between both men as published by Daily Trust.
Obi: Good morning Daddy.
Bishop: Praise the Lord, how are you Sir?
Obi: Fine Daddy, good morning Sir.
Bishop: Amen, in Jesus name we are going to get bright results.
Obi: Thank you Daddy, when I hear this, your call and prayers Dad is very dear to me. Like I keep saying if this works, you people will never regret the support.
Bishop: Amen! Amen! We look forward for God’s intervention.
Obi: Thank you Dad, I need you to speak to your people in South West and Kwara, the Christians in South West and Kwara, this is a religious war.
Bishop: I believe that, you know I did a release ‘Nigeria Going Forward’ and I am coming with the second one today, but in the name of Jesus this would be a success, you know what I said, ‘Nigeria requires a strong and healthy personality, I said anyone whose source of wealth could not be verified should not have access to governance. So all we are doing we are appealing to the conscience of people to know where to go. But I want to assure you that the result will be favourable.
Obi: Thank you Daddy.
Bishop: So relax yourself don’t be apprehensive, are you in Lagos or Abuja?
Obi: I am in Onitsha now
Bishop: So you be there for the election?
Obi: Yes Sir
Bishop: Very good, that is where to be, I say all Nigerians have equal stake, nobody has right to claim that he is dashing something to someone, we are coming out of it, so how it is generally and the Middle Belt?
Obi: it is okay, Middle Belt is okay but places like Kogi, Kwara and Niger are worrisome.
Bishop: We will get to Kwara
Obi: Fantastic, I went to Kwara and visited Olofa of Offa who told me that nobody had ever come here, with you no problem but the Christian community in Kwara and Niger, and I am also working in Kogi same way.
Bishop: Okay then I will target this clip to them; I will make sure it gets them.
Obi: Thank you I will be looking forward to the release as well, please send it to me.
Bishop: Okay I will do that, God bless you.
Obi: Thank you Daddy.
