By Charles Adingupu
For almost five consecutive days running, the Peter Obi and Bishop David Oyedepo’s Leaked “religious war” audio video has continued to trend in the social media platforms.
The leaked audio contained conversation where the Labour Party, LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi was reportedly appealing to the founder of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo to help him cajole Christian voters in the North Central States of Kwara, Kogi and Niger states in the just concluded presidential election.
“This is a religious war,” Obi was alleged to have said with a sectarian appeal to the renowned Clergyman.
The audio video has elicited divergent views both from the LP, members, Obidient supporters, the opposition party and the general public at large.
Though some see it as an orchestrated plot to entrap the LP presidential candidate to drop his legal battle to reclaim his stolen mandate. While others see the scenario playing out as the handiwork of some mischief makers to further plunge the nation into deeper political upheaval.
The Publicity Secretary of the LP, Diran Onifade dismissed the viral audio video as a calculated attempt to drag the intimidating image of the LP presidential candidate to the mud.
He urged the teeming supporters of Obi and Nigerians at large to ignore the contents of the video as it was doctored to suit the whims and caprices of some misguided individuals.
In the same vein, the media adviser to Peter Obi, Valentine Obienyem said the video was wickedly doctored, adding that both men had also discussed the Muslim Muslim ticket that led to the conversation, lamented that that part of their discussions were wickedly expunged from the audio conversation.
His words:”they edited out the Muslim Muslim ticket that led to the discussion where Obi said that in a society like ours, religious balancing was a necessary consideration, and their recklessnes had made Christians to assume that it was a”religious war,” he said.
The media adviser however alleged that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) leaked the audio conversation.
“I heard they set up a committee made up of some communication experts, headed by our prodigal brother from Nnewi. They are reviewing all calls Obi made in the last three days, and especially now to see if he mentioned Interim Government or anything that would make them to prosecute him for treason when and if they take over,” Obienyem was reported to have said.
Reacting to the ugly development, Bishop Oyedepo in his Sermon last Sunday, he declared before his congregation, “I have never campaigned for any Politician or spoke on anybody’s behalf and I will not do that until I go to heaven.
“There’s no Party in this country that didn’t come to me for prayers and advice. I advise them, some, they don’t take. Those who chose to take, they see results, those who said no are still going about it. If you still come again, I will still tell you, nothing will change,” said the renowned Bishop.
One of the Obidient supporters, Vivian Ofuafo said they, the government are just giving a dog a bad name to justify their killing it.
But Reuben Abati, one of the anchor of the popular TV programme, The Morning Show in the Arise TV, described the leaked audio video as an invasion of privacy of the LP presidential candidate.
Abati said the notion that politicians who are seeking votes from fellow religious are invariably drumming for religious war.
He recalled that even in the past, politicians solicited for votes from their religious folks, adding that it was never a crime to do so..
His counter part, Rifai Oseni urged the both the Labour Party and the Obidient supporters to explore all available technology platforms to track the perpetrators of this wicked act aimed at denigrating the intimidating reputation of the LP presidential candidate.
He disclosed that there are available platform options to prove that the video was doctored.
Popular Nollywood Actor, Kenneth Okonkwo who also doubles as spokesman to the LP presidential candidate, described the video as doctored.
Okonkwo said that political criminals are trying to spin the conversation as if Obi was making a religious statement.
His words:”His Excellency, Peter Obi was simply urging the Bishop to help him push this message of the equal stake of all Nigerians In the Nigerian project to his people and the Christianson because the politicians of the other party are carrying on this campaign as if it’s a religious war.”
Another Obidient supporter, Daniel King stated that worse things had been said by politicians in the North, yet heaven didn’t fall, adding that those presently calling for the head of the LP presidential candidate over the leaked audio video must be up to some mischief.
At the moment, the DSS is currently at a crossroad over the matter.
