Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), recently found himself embroiled in controversy over an alleged statement he made regarding the 2023 presidential election being a "religious war."
The statement was reportedly made in a leaked audio clip where he appeared to urge the founder of Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, to encourage Christians in the South-West and Kwara states to vote for him.
However, during a recent interview with Arise TV, Obi vehemently denied ever making the statement, and instead attributed it to the work of "manipulators." He went on to emphasise that he is not an ethnic or religious bigot and cited his record of sponsoring many Muslim residents in Onitsha on pilgrimages to Mecca as evidence of his commitment to interfaith harmony.
In his own words, "I did not say the election was a religious war because it is not. These are manipulators. I am not an ethnic/religious bigot. I celebrated Salah with Muslim residents in Onitsha as I have often done. I have sponsored many pilgrimages to Mecca. I am not the one with the same faith ticket."
Obi's strong denial of the alleged statement is not surprising, given the potential political fallout that could result from being accused of promoting religious sentiments in the run-up to a general election.
His clarification of his stance on religious tolerance and his past actions towards interfaith harmony serves to reinforce his position as a leader who is committed to promoting unity and inclusivity.
It is worth noting that Obi also took the opportunity during the interview to remind viewers of the actions of another politician who had urged his supporters to "snatch it! Grab it and run with it" during the same election season. This serves as a subtle reminder that other actors in the political arena may not share his commitment to fairness and non-violent politics.
Overall, Obi's denial of the alleged statement serves to clarify his stance on religious sentiment in the context of the upcoming presidential election, and his emphasis on interfaith harmony and inclusivity reinforces his image as a leader who is committed to promoting unity and social cohesion in Nigeria.
Content created and supplied by: Worshipper (via Opera News )
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