The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has vowed to sue the popular online news medium, Peoples Gazette, over the ‘yes daddy’ phone call he purportedly had with the Presiding Bishop of Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo.
Obi said this in a statement he released on Wednesday night.
Recall that Peoples Gazette had on April 1 published the audio recording in which Obi supposedly called the February 25 presidential election “religious war” while soliciting Oyedepo’s help in getting Christian votes in the South-West geopolitical zone and the North-Central states of Kwara, Kogi and Niger.
The story has elicited reactions from many Nigerians both home and abroad, with supporters and foes fighting over the propriety of Obi’s resort to religion to gain a political advantage in the election.
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Obi vows legal redress
Obi said, “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 (has) been instructed to take appropriate legal actions against Peoples Gazette and others.”
Peoples Gazette responds
Meanwhile, Peoples Gazette has said it stood by its story, daring the LP candidate to challenge it in court.
In a statement on Wednesday, Deputy Managing Editor Boladale Adekoya said, “Peoples Gazette stands unflinchingly by the audio recording of Peter Obi and David Oyedepo as published on April 1, 2023.”
He added, “The audio and the context surrounding it were properly sourced and authenticated in line with journalism best practices.”
Obi flays APC over intimidation tactics
Obi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deploying various tactics to prevent him from retrieving his presidential mandate, which he said was “stolen”, in court.
“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.”
Obi added, “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.”
Obi thanks supporters
Obi thanked his supporters popularly called Obidients for their support and assured them that his presidential run was devoid of tribal or religious undertone.
“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.
“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!” he said.