Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in the February 25 presidential election, has denied that a leaked audio recording of a conversation with Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, is genuine. The audio, which allegedly features Obi telling Oyedepo that the election was a “religious war” and urging the clergyman to mobilise support for him in the South‑West and Kwara State—particularly among Christians—has been dismissed by Obi as fabricated.
In a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, Obi emphasized that he never referred to the election as a religious war at any point during his issue‑based campaign. He lamented what he described as attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to divert attention from what he calls a “blatantly stolen mandate.” Obi cited several tactics he believes the APC has employed, including the malicious accusation against Minister of Information Lai Mohammed, the circulation of the fake audio, and pressure on him to leave the country.
Obi reiterated that the circulating audio is fake and that he never said, thought, or implied that the 2023 election was, or had been, a religious war. He announced that his legal team has been instructed to take appropriate action against the online platform that published the alleged recording.
Calling on Nigerians and the international community to urge the APC and its government to cease their “nasty attacks,” Obi affirmed his commitment to lawfully and peacefully retrieve what he describes as a stolen mandate. He outlined his vision for Nigeria: moving the country from consumption to production, lifting millions out of multidimensional poverty—especially in the north—and jump‑starting prosperity through agricultural, industrial, and technological revolutions.
Obi stressed that the elections are over and that the contest now lies in the courts. He pledged to pursue all lawful and peaceful avenues within the legal system and constitution, urging Nigerians to remain peaceful and law‑abiding. He warned against those who seek to inflame divisions and hatred, reminding them that Nigeria is the only country they share. The focus, he said, should be on addressing the nation’s challenges—flawed electoral processes, a dire economy, unsustainable debt, unemployment, inflation, insecurity, and multidimensional poverty. He concluded with optimism: a new Nigeria is possible, and “God will help us.”
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