Headline
Obi, Oyedepo’s Leaked Conversation Throws LP’s Media Team Into Confusion
…aides issue conflicting statements hours apart
The trending audio of a leaked phone conversation between the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi and the presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church, David Oyedepo, has throw the LP candidate’s media team into confusion.
While the Head, Obi-Datti Media Office, veteran broadcaster, Diran Onifade, in a statement in Abuja, on Sunday, dismissed the audio as deep fake and a product of the propaganda machinery of the ruling All Progressives Congress, a member of the media team, Keneth Okwonkwo, confirmed the authenticity of the audio.
Okwonkwo’s statement issued in a series of tweets on his Twitter handle a few hours after Diran’s statement however explained that the audio was being taken out of context by Obi’s opponents.
In the audio which was released by an online newspaper, Peoples Gazette, Obi solicited the support of Oyedepo to help get votes from Christians in South-West.
READ ALSO: I’ve Never Campaigned For Anybody, All Parties Seek My Advice — Oyedepo [VIDEO]
The Labour Party Presidenrial candidate was heard saying the votes were needed because the 2023 presidential election was a religious war.
He said, “Daddy, I need you to speak to your people in the South-West and Kwara, the Christians in the South-West and Kwara.This is a religious war. Like I keep saying: if this works, you people will never regret the support.”
The audio had attracted a firestorm on social media with some of Obi’s supporters insisting that the voice recording was saying it was a forgery.
Onifade had in a statement issued in the early hours of Sunday, said, “It appears the All Progressives Congress’ desperation to grab and retain power by foul means has refused to go away more than a month after they have grabbed the election as they planned.
READ ALSO: Lagos Says ‘It’s Doctored’ As Video Clip Of Men Pushing Train Surfaces Online [Watch]
“While we are toeing the constitutional path to retrieve our mandate, those who have truncated the wishes of the majority of Nigerians have recoursed to mischief and endless subterfuge to continue to hold on to what they know does not belong to them.
“From the show of shame in Portharcourt to the drama in the Ibom Air aircraft, both of which they contrived, they have now moved to the circulation of a deep fake audio file aimed at promoting religious tension in the country.
“All these are meant to serve no other purpose than egregious mischief aimed at demarketing Peter Obi. If the goal is to create a credibility problem, the ploy has failed woefully.
“Peter Obi has long been on record as the only presidential candidate who has urged the Nigerians electorate not to vote for him on the basis of religion or tribe .
“We will therefore like to advice our beloved Nigerian people to remain focused on the task to take back the mandate we know was freely given to Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed through legitimate means.
READ ALSO: Abia: IPOB First Attacked Our Men With Weapons – Police
“That is more important than to expect those who ran election on forged credentials and even fake Bishops to stop faking. They cannot stop being fraudulent because that is who they are.”
But in a separate statement, a few hours after, Okonkwo confirmed the authenticity of the same audio but claimed it was taken out of context by critics.
He wrote: “Our attention has been drawn to the publication of this audio tape of private conversation between @PeterObi and Bishop Oyedepo. It is not surprising that these political criminals are trying to spin the conversation as if Obi was making a religious statement.
“Firstly, the context of the conversation was aptly put by Bishop Oyedepo when he said “All Nigerians have equal stake in this nation, nobody has the right to claim that he is dashing something to someone”. Peter Obi was simply urging the Bishop to help him push this message of equal stake of all Nigerians in the Nigerian project to his people and the Christiendom because the politicians of the other party is carrying on this campaign as if it is a religious war.”
READ ALSO: Igbo Youths To DSS: Release Arrested Eze Igbo, Nwajagu Immediately
He further explained that the traditional ruler of Offa, the Olofa of Offa, who is a Muslim, advised Obi to get the support of Oyedepo and be assured of his own support. This, he said, happened during a visit to the traditional ruler.
According to him, “no politician has ever visited the Olofa of Offa. It is clear to everybody that the APC political party that has a Presidential Candidate, Vice Presidential Candidate, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, National Chairman of the Party all from one religion at a time the CJN is a Muslim is the Party that has declared religious war on Nigerians and we must all rise up together to fight this unconstitutional act of religious intolerance of other religions by APC.
“I went around with Obi on campaign train and never saw him discriminate against any religion. Of course he can’t because his Vice is a Muslim unlike APC. I resigned from APC because of their religious intolerance. Nigerians should disregard any insinuation of religious bigots about this tape.” Okwonkwo added.
Headline
Failure To Prosecute Deborah’s Killers Two Years After, Reinforcement Of Impunity – Amnesty International
Amnesty International has condemned the Nigerian authorities for their failure to bring the murderers of Deborah Samuel to justice.
Deborah, a Christian and a second-year student of Home Economics at Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was lynched by Islamic extremists and subsequently set ablaze on May 12, 2022.
This occurred after she had advised her classmates against posting religious materials on their WhatsApp page.
READ ALSO: ‘Blasphemy’: Fish Out Killers Of Deborah Yakubu, NOSCEF Tasks Government
In a press release made available to newsmen on Saturday, the director of the human rights organisation, Isa Sanusi, stated that the failure to bring Deborah’s killers to justice serves as a reinforcement of impunity.
Sanusi said, “On the day Deborah was killed, in a flagrant show of utter disdain for the sanctity of life and impunity, a video footage of a raging fire and a man facing the camera, bragging that he killed and burnt Deborah Samuel — while also brandishing a matchbox — was widely shared on social media.
“Even though the suspects were arrested but in what appears to be an encouragement for impunity suspected killers were not properly charged and were ultimately set free — going away with blood on their hands.
READ ALSO: How Court Freed, Acquitted Suspected Killers Of College Student, Deborah Samuel
“By failing, again and again, to ensure that those suspected of responsibility of killing(s) over alleged blasphemy are brought to justice, the Nigerian authorities continue to create a permissive environment for brutality.”
Sanusi emphasised that the reluctance of the government to address violence perpetrated in the name of religion has effectively conveyed the message that individuals can commit egregious abuses under the guise of religion and evade accountability.
“It is never too late for the Nigerian authorities to rearrest those suspected of killing Deborah Samuel and ensure that they face justice through fair trial.
“Nigerian authorities have an obligation under Nigerian and international human rights law to protect lives and to uphold the rule of law,” Sanusi added
Headline
Nine-year-old Stabs Pupil,10, To Death On While Returning From School In South Africa
A nine-year-old boy stabbed a 10-year-old boy to death after they got into a fight while on their way home from school in Brandfort, Free State, South Africa.
South African Police Service (SAPS) Free State spokesperson, Captain Stephen Thakeng, who confirmed the incident on Friday, May 10, 2024, said the nine-year-old boy went to his house to retrieve a knife, returned and stabbed the deceased to death.
“It is alleged that two schoolboys, from different schools, were on their way to their respective homes on 08 May 2024 at about 16:00 when a fight reportedly broke out between them,” he said.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the nine-year-old boy went to get a knife from his home nearby and returned, stabbing the 10-year-old boy.
READ ALSO: Burna Boy Gifts Tony Tetuila Briefcase Full Of Cash
“Police were informed about the incident and upon arrival, found a 10-year-old boy still in school uniform lying inside the ambulance with a stab wound on the left side of his chest.
“The paramedics pointed out a silver stainless steel knife with a black handle on the ground.
“The boy was certified dead at the scene in one of the streets of Nomzamo Park, Majwemasweu, Brandfort. The mother identified the deceased as her son.
“Both are Grade 4 learners in different primary schools in Brandfort. An inquest has been registered and the nine-year-old child was handed over to his parents to be referred to social workers.” he added.
READ ALSO: Navy Sends Eight Warships, Helicopters After Sea Pirates
Also confirming the incident, the Free State Education MEC, Makalo Mohale, identified the deceased as Kamogelo Leepile, a learner at WSM Malotle Primary School in Brandfort.
This incident happened in full view of other learners who were on their way home.
Mohale said that Kamogelo Leepile was stabbed three times by the grade 4 learner from Monamodi Primary School.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Army Pulls Out 29 Retired Generals
The Free State Education Spokesperson Howard Ndaba said the suspect who according to his mother, has complained of consistent bullying by the deceased and his brother was taken to the police station on Thursday morning 9 May.
MEC Mohale has called on schools to be safe spaces for both learners and teachers.
Mohale said the incident can only be described as “ abhorrent and travesty “.’
“We strongly condemn any acts of learner misconduct including bullying and relentlessly appeal to parents in assisting to enforce discipline in and outside the school environment.”
Psycho-social services have been sent to both schools to provide counselling.
Headline
Less Than 48hr Of Opening GoFundMe Campaign, Dancer Korra Obidi Gets Almost $50k In Donations
Korra Obidi has raised almost $50,000 after opening a GoFundMe account to raise legal fees as she prepares to battle ex-husband Justin Dean in another court case.
This week, Justin Dean obtained image rights protection from Meta to stop Korra from featuring their children on Facebook.
All videos Korra shared on the platform with her kids in them were taken down from Facebook and her page was demonetised.
She did a video begging for financial aid to fight the decision in court.
READ ALSO: How Nigerian-born Obidi Was Stabbed Bathed With Acid In UK – Sister, Umeh [VIDEO]
Justin also did a video, admitting he got in touch with Facebook. He added that he will never let his kids back on Facebook (read here).
Well, Korra’s attempt at raising morning for legal fees has been successful so far.
In less than 48 hours after creating a GoFundMe account, Korra, whose aim is to raise $100,000, already has $49,346 and counting.
Korra Obidi gets almost $50k in donations less than 48 hours after opening gofundme to source for legal fees in case against ex-husband.
READ ALSO: EFCC Stops Dollar Transactions, Asks Embassies To Charge In Naira
The amount keeps increasing each time the GoFundMe page is refreshed.
So far, over 1.1k people have made donations. The highest donor gave $1,000.
Korra Obidi gets almost $50k in donations less than 48 hours after opening gofundme to source for legal fees in case against ex-husband
Korra and her sister, Nancy Umeh, have thanked those donating for giving Korra a fighting chance.
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