Politics

Leaked Audio: Clarify Position, FG Tells Peter Obi

Published

2 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

ADC Will Take Over Aso Rock, Lagos Govt House In 2027 — Aregbesola

Published

17 hours ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

The National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has vowed that his party will unseat President Bola Tinubu and also take over Lagos state come 2027.

The former governor of Osun State made the pledge on Saturday, at an event where the leader of the Conscience Forum of the Labour Party (LP), Hon. Moshood Salvador, led members of the group to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The event which held in Lagos also marked the 25th anniversary of the Conscience Forum as a political group.

It had in attendance the National Secretary of the African Democratic Party, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, leadership of the ADC in Lagos state, and wards and zonal leaders of the Conscience Forum from the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 LCDAs in the state.

Addressing the new members, Aregbesola commended the leadership, executives and members of the Conscience Forum while tasking them on the need to take over the seat of power in Abuja and Lagos in 2027 general elections.

He pledged that the ADC will produce the next president of the country while charging the new intakes not to relent in their efforts to changing Nigeria for the better.

He said, “I am happy to be a part of this gathering. I am also happy to receive you into the ADC folds. We are the only one that can make it difficult to take over wherever we are if the Conscience Forum, good looking people with highly cultured leadership can organized this kind of event to make a declaration for the ADC and follow the line enunciated by the leader, surely, Alausa is a sure ticket for all of us.

“With our resolve, it won’t be difficult at all to take over the seat of power. It’s a simple strategy of one getting ten and each of the ten will equally get ten. Its operation ten over ten. Once we are able to get this done, that’s the end of it. We will surely meet at the Aso Rock Villa and produce the next president of the country. Once again, I am happy to be here and we must not relax our efforts to change Nigeria.”

Speaking on the move to the ADC, Salvador said the problems confronting the Labour Party has shown that it is not a party for the future.

He said, “Today, we are marking the 25 anniversary of the Conscience Forum and at the same time, for a wise man or people of wisdom, we look back to what you’ve achieved and look forward to what we are aiming to become. Our members were in Labour Party and the problem of the Labour Party has shown that they have lost the future. Its no more a party of the future and that is why, we have to think of where next since we have the new wave and the formation of coalition of political party, for anyone that wants something good of its members, the best is to join the coalition.

“This is not just the ADC. The ADC being the symbol of the coalition and that is why Conscience Forum, being a political group with over 400, 000 members in Lagos will have to showcase our structure including our LGA and Ward officers and so on. This is necessary for them to know the size of the group they are taking in. We chose today being our 25th anniversary to declare for the ADC so that our members will now join the ADC at their various ward levels.”

Politics

2027: Details Of Jonathan, Peter Obi Meeting Emerge

Published

23 hours ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

Details have emerged regarding the recent closed-door meeting between former President Goodluck Jonathan and former presidential candidate Peter Obi.

The two leaders are reportedly discussing strategies for a unified front in the 2027 presidential election.

The meeting took place on Thursday, with Obi disclosing insights about the engagement on his Facebook and X accounts.

The meeting was a continuation of previous conversations between the two leaders over strategies for the 2027 race.

The National Coordinator of the OBIdient Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko, confirmed this in a statement on Friday.

“They (Jonathan and Obi) have been friends for a long time. The meeting was for them to fraternise and discuss how to rescue Nigeria.

“But for us in the OBIdient Movement, it would be great if Jonathan remains the respected statesman he is known for. He has done his best as President, he is respected, and this is the time for him to support his brother,” Tanko told Daily Trust.

Tanko further alleged that some politicians were plotting to use Jonathan against Obi but maintained that the Obidient Movement would not allow such a plan to succeed.

“We are aware of such moves, but we strongly believe they will not succeed.

“Many Nigerians believe the next president should come from the South, and for fairness, the South East should get the chance. Peter Obi is the ideal candidate,” he added.

Politics

Tinubu’s Mandate Accomplished In Rivers — Ibas

Published

1 day ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.), has stated that the mandate given to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been “sufficiently achieved” with the restoration of democratic governance at the grassroots.

Ibas made the remark on Friday at Government House, Port Harcourt, during the presentation of the report on the recently concluded local government elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

He recalled that Tinubu, on March 18, 2025, directed him to stabilise the state, re-establish its institutions, and return Rivers to full democratic governance following his appointment as sole administrator.

According to him, the successful conduct of the polls and the swearing-in of elected chairmen and councillors across the 23 local government areas marked the fulfilment of that mandate.

“Mr. President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilise the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance. With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved the mandate that we were given,” Ibas stated.

He praised RSIEC for what he described as a credible and transparent election, noting that the exercise was free of harassment and voters freely expressed their choices.

Ibas added that the government would review the RSIEC report and issue a white paper in due course. He also commended his team, security agencies, and state officials for their contributions.

RSIEC Chairman, Dr Mike Odey, who presented the report earlier, described the election as a “historic achievement” for Rivers and the country. He stressed that it was organised, coordinated, and concluded within 30 days — an unprecedented record in Nigerian electoral history.