The Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) has dismissed claims that its principal, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, advocated for dismantling Nigeria’s church structure. In a statement on Sunday, POMR spokesperson Ibrahim Umar clarified that reports suggesting Obi called for the removal of places of worship were a misinterpretation of his recent interview.
“We have been made aware of a significant distortion of Obi’s recent media interview, which erroneously claims he called for the dismantling of churches in Nigeria,” Umar stated. “The headline misrepresented Obi’s message, twisting it to serve a mischievous agenda.”
Umar emphasized that Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, is a man of deep faith who respects all religions and sought only to emphasize a balance between faith and action. He cited Apostle James’s teaching, “Faith without works is unhelpful” (James 2:14), to reinforce Obi’s stance that practical effort is necessary alongside faith.
Obi’s remarks about transforming night vigils into productive activities were highlighted as an appeal to integrate faith into daily work. “Even Jesus did not select his disciples while they were praying; he found them working,” Umar noted, referencing biblical figures who were called from their vocations.
The spokesperson further cited Proverbs 14:23, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty,” to stress that Obi’s message encouraged the coexistence of work and prayer, rather than reliance on faith alone.
POMR urged Nigerians to disregard the misleading media coverage, asserting that the distortion does not reflect the true essence of Obi’s comments.
