Politics

Leaked Audio: Clarify Position, FG Tells Peter Obi

Published

3 years ago

April 11, 2023

The Federal Government has challenged the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to clarify his position on a leaked audio of the conversation he allegedly had with the founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo.

Addressing the media on Monday in London, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Obi should clarify what he meant by saying the leaked conversation was “a fake doctored audio call.”

“I need to draw the attention of Nigerians to the recent leaked audio of conversation between the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and the cleric.

“The leaked audio rattled Nigerians because we heard Obi pleading with the cleric to interfere on his behalf to convince Christians that this is a religious war and they should support him,” he said.

The minister said that in the aftermath of the leaked audio, Obi came out to say that it was “a fake, doctored audio call.”

The minister said, “If it is fake, it means it never took place. But if it is doctored, it means there was that conversation but it was manipulated.

“Obi needs to come out and make the clarification on whether the conversation did not take place or it took place, but it was doctored.

“If it was doctored, which part of it was doctored?

“Is it the beginning, the middle or the end or is it the ‘Yes Daddy’ part of it, or where he said it was a religious war?”

Mohammed said the leaked audio had corroborated the position that Obi’s electioneering campaign was based on religion and ethnicity.

He said this was the first time in the history of Nigeria’s elections that a politician would come out openly to campaign on grounds of religion and ethnicity.

“From the outcome of the presidential elections, you will see that Obi got his vote mostly from areas where he comes from and his religious leaning.

“This is not good for the politics of Nigeria and it is very dangerous.

“As a result of this kind of campaign, Nigeria is more divided than ever and people are being heard commenting either based on their religious position or ethnic origin.

“Many otherwise respected commentators are not left behind on the effect of this divisive politics,” he said.

The audio clip as released by an online newspaper was an alleged conversation between Obi and the founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo.

Speaking on his mission to London, the minister said it was to defend the legitimacy of the just concluded general elections and to correct the imbalance in the skewed narrative which had pervaded the air on the polls.

He said, like what he did recently in Washington, he would let the world know that the 2023 election was the freest in Nigeria’s history.

NAN reports that the minister is scheduled to hold conversations and meetings with international media organisations and relevant think tanks based in London

Politics

Crack In Edo APC As Group Accuses Party Chieftain Of Acting Opposition’s Script

Published

6 hours ago

November 25, 2025

Editor

All seems not well with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a pro-APC group known as Sustainable Development and Progress accused a chieftain of the party, honourable
Luqman Mohammed of playing the script of the opposition parties to destabilise the APC in Edo North Senatorial District.

This, according to the group, is responsible for the sharp division in Etsako West Local Government Area.

A statement by the spokesman of the group, Peter Mohammed, the body accused Mohammed and “his cohorts of convening a secret meeting at the residence of a top chieftain of the party where it was decided that the destabilization of the APC would begin from Edo North ahead of the 2027 General election.”

The cracks in the APC were sad to become obvious when Mohammed, who they claimed is an ally the immediate past Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, (SAN), allegedly led some leaders to suspend Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the leader of ward 11 in Etsako West Local Government Area (Edo North ) of the state.

This action, according to the group, worsed an already tensed political situation in Edo North APC, and in retaliation, the suspended leader, Okwilague alongside other members moved against those that they claimed are behind the suspension—allegedly led by Mohammed.

The APC group also accused the former Edo State House of Assembly member of being a mole and a willing tool planted by the opposition leaders to destabilise the existing peace in the party.

The group alleged that “Luqman Mohammed attends APC meetings during the day and PDP’s meetings at night,” and vowed to expose and resist his efforts.

The group, while stating that Mohammed’s action amounts to “…working against the interest of the party,” alleged that “his recent outburst against the party was part of PDP and ADC’s plots and called for a thorough investigation of the weighty allegations.”

Meanwhile, a communique issued by the Ward Executive Committee and leaders
Etsako West Local Government Area, a resolutions, part of which is the suspension of some executive officers, and members.

The communique reads: “The ward 11 APC Executive Committee and leaders held a meeting on Monday 10 November, 2025 at 6:00 pm in the party secretariat Jattu-Uzairue Etsako West Edo State.

“The meeting aimed to discuss the following. The purported suspension ‘carryout’ (sic) by the Ward Chairman, Secretary and Youth Leader against Uzairue Leader Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.

“Anti-party activities fractionalizing and creating parallel party disobedience in carrying out lawful directives of the party. The meeting was focused to know if those allegedly suspended ‘violate’ article 21 of APC party constitution.

“It was unanimously agreed to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate and report back to the house which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino.

“According to the disciplinary committee set up which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino, the Ward Chairman Daudu Jafaru Abubuakar, the Ward Secretary Yusuf Bala Bello and Youth, leader Francis Aliu ‘contravene’ and violated the article 21 of APC party constitution thereby recommended immediate suspension for them.

“At the end of the investigation the Ward Executive Committee (WEC) considered the report of the disciplinary committee which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino. Having carefully reviewed the finding and recommendation, the Ward Executive Committee resolved to approve their immediate suspension from the APC in Ward Eleven.

“Their actions had undermined the unity and integrity of the party, warning them against identifying as a member or acting on behalf of the party in any capacity. The LGA, ‘part’, SEC party and NWC party should as a matter of urgency ratify the above ‘mention’ names.

“It was unanimously agreed again that the Vice Chairman Mrs. Josephine Dokpesi should immediately be the Acting Chairman in line with the APC party constitution and oversee the political affairs of the ward pending time lifting of the suspension of the above ‘mention’ names.

“The entire Ward Executive Committee of Ward Eleven passed an implicit and undiluted vote of confidence on our indefatigable leader, the person of Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.”

Reacting, Mohammed denied allegations leveled against him and blamed the crisis on outsiders who have invaded ward 11 where he is the number one leader, to impose their stooges.

The former Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu is also from the ward.

While defending himself via a telephone interview, the former Edo House of Assembly member and later Board member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), frowned at the composition of the panel established by the State Working Committee to investigate the crisis in ward 11, especially the appointment of Mr. Blessing Agbonmere as head and Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the suspended leader as member of the panel.

Mohammed said Okwilague cannot be a judge in his own case and that Agbonmere is an interloper working to implement a script.

Politics

Oshiomhole Blasts Amaechi, Says He Built Railway To Niger Republic Instead Of Port Harcourt

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole on Monday criticised former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of poor judgment and misplaced priorities during his tenure in office.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Oshiomhole said: “Rotimi Amaechi is the most terrible. Look at the choice of language. A guy who shut down Rivers judiciary because he wanted to appoint his own personal favourite as chief judge of Rivers State. Once he couldn’t have his way, the Rivers State judiciary was shut down for almost two years.

“Look at the crisis in the railway system that he superintendent over for eight unbroken years. He was unable to get the priorities right, playing to the gallery.

“Now he rather constructed a rail, not to Kano, not to Port Harcourt, where he came from, but to Niger Republic.

“Which goods are we sending to Niger Republic? He was a minister. And if you were a minister under Buhari, you will be fair to him, life or death, that Buhari gave anyone he appointed free hand to do the job he assigned to you. That is what Buhari was.”

Politics

State Police Can No Longer Be Delayed – South-West Governors

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

The Southwest Governors Forum is set to create a South West Regional Security Fund to strengthen responses to insecurity in the region.

This initiative aims to address the rise in kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, and unregulated interstate migration.

The decision was reached during a meeting of the six governors on Monday at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State.

In the communiqué issued at the end, it was agreed that all six states would support coordinated operations, joint intelligence sharing, and rapid-response initiatives across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states.

The governors also emphasised that the establishment of state police “can no longer be delayed.”

They applauded President Bola Tinubu for security interventions in states affected by kidnappings, while urging sustained attention on regional development.