The presiding Bishop of Faith Tabernacle, David Oyedepo, has reacted to the leaked audio tape between him and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Oyedepo while preaching on Sunday at the church’s headquarters in Ogun State, said he has never campaigned for any politician during any election in the country.
An online news outlet had released an audio where Obi was heard appealing to the Bishop to help solicit votes from Christians in the South-West.
Obi also stated allegedly said the votes were needed because the 2023 presidential election was a religious war.
“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,” he was heard in the audio.
In his reaction, Oyedepo said he never spoke to any group of people on behalf of any politician.
“Nobody had ever told me what to say in this world. No. I have never campaigned for anybody or speak on anybody’s behalf and I will not do that till I go to heaven.
“There is no (political) party in this country that didn’t come to me for prayers and for advice. I advised them, some, they didn’t take. Those who chose to take it, they see results; those who said no, they are going about it (laughs). If you still come again, I will still tell you, it doesn’t change,” he said.
The audio had attracted criticism for Obi, with some of his supporters saying it was doctored.
But in a statement in the wee hours of Sunday, Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of Labour Party Presidential Campaign, verified the authenticity but claimed it was taken out of context by critics.
Earlier, Director General of Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, Balogun Akin Osuntokun, told Daily Trust that he had nothing to say on the matter.
“I have nothing to say on this,” Osuntokun said when contacted over the phone.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyers