‘No Party In Nigeria That Didn’t Come To Me, Bishop Oyedepo Speaks On Leaked Phone Conversation With Peter Obi
No Party In Nigeria That Didn’t Come To Me, Bishop Oyedepo Speaks On Leaked Phone Conversation With Peter Obi
The founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, on Sunday, reacted to the controversy generated by a leaked phone conversation between him and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi for the 2023 election.
Ibom Focus earlier reported how Obi in a phone conversation leaked by Peoples Gazette, begged Bishop Oyedepo to woo Christians in the Southwest region of Nigeria and Kwara State to support him.
Obi in the leaked audio conversation with the cleric described the 2023 presidential election as a “religious war” and therefore pleaded with Oyedepo to help him secure the full support of Christians in the Southwest and Kwara as he was already working on winning votes in Kogi and Niger states.
In the leaked audio conversation, Bishop Oyedepo said, “In Jesus’ name, we are going to get a bright tomorrow,” to which Obi replied and said, “Amen Daddy. When I hear these prayers, it is very dear to me and like I keep saying, if this thing works, you people will never regret the support.”
Continuing the conversation, the cleric said, “We look forward to God’s intervention,” and Obi quickly responded and said, “Thank you, Daddy. Daddy, I need you to speak to your people in the Southwest and Kwara. The Christians in the Southwest and Kwara. This is a religious war.”
Oyedepo responded immediately and said, “I believe you, I believe that. You know I did a release, ‘Nigeria going forward’ and I’m coming out with the second one today.”
Oyedepo also said, “You know what I said in the first one, a sickling nation like Nigeria requires a strong and healthy personality, and I said that anyone whose source of wealth cannot be verified should not have access to governance, particularly in an economy like Nigeria. I want to assure you that in the name of Jesus, the results shall be favourable.”
Oyedepo further promised to get Christians in Kwara state to vote for Obi while Obi confirmed to the cleric that he was worried about getting votes from Kogi and Niger states.
Obi, however, added that he was working on it as he was meeting with Christian communities in those states. Obi also requested that Bishop Oyedepo should send the second statement to him personally.
The phone conversation between Obi and Oyedepo conversation has since generated mixed reactions with many Nigerians, including the opposition camps describing Obi as a “religious and ethnic bigot.” The leaked audio conversation also threw the Labour Party into confusion as the Head of Obi-Datti Media Office, Diran Onifade, in a statement in Abuja, on Sunday, described the leaked phone conversation as fake.
Onifade described it as proof of the desperation of the ruling All Progressives Congress to retain power by all means.
The Media Assistant to Obi, Valentine Obienyem, said the audio was leaked by someone they know but added that it had been doctored to remove some elements that would have provided some context.
However, one of the spokespersons for the party’s presidential campaign council, Kenneth Okonkwo, said the audio is authentic but he described the leaked audio as a private conversation and blamed the APC for fielding a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and having Muslims occupy key positions in its government.
Meanwhile, reacting to the controversy surrounding the leaked audio tape, Bishop Oyedepo in a sermon titled, ‘Covenant Day Of Settlement’ on Sunday did not deny the leaked phone conversation with the former governor of Anambra State.
Oyedepo rather claimed that all the political parties in Nigeria approached him for prayers and advice but said he had never campaigned for anybody and would never do so till he dies.
The cleric said, “I don’t speak what you want to hear, I speak what God tells me to say. That’s why some people are very angry with me. Nobody has even told me what to say in this world.
“I have never campaigned for anybody or spoken on anybody’s behalf and I will not do that till I go to heaven.
“There is no party in this country that didn’t come to me for prayer; there is none and for advice.
“I advise some; they don’t take. Those who choose to take it, they see results. Those who say no, they are going about. If you still come again, I will tell you. Nothing changed.”
