Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has said that since aftermath of the outcome of the 2023 presidential election and the attendant litigation to challenge the results at the Tribunal by his political party, there have been attempts to tarnish his image and as well force him out of the country.
Obi was reacting to the viral audio recording allegedly said to be his telephone conversation with the founder and general overseer of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, in which he solicited for the support of the popular Christian cleric and suggesting that the 2023 election was a religious war.
He described the audio clip in circulation as fake and handiwork of the ruling APC-led government and its officials as part of plans to distract him and LP from pursuing their case in court.
LEADERSHIP reports that Obi took third position in the February 25 presidential election won by the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, who was trailed by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obi, who took to his verified Twitter handle on Wednesday night to react to the allegations against him, said he never campaigned based on religion and ethnicity save for competence, character and credibility.
The LP presidential candidate noted that elections were over, and he was in court to retrieve his 'stolen mandate' through all lawful and peaceful options in line with the nation's legal system and constitution, hence he called on all Nigerians to remain peaceful and law abiding.
Obi wrote: "I continue to thank all Nigerians, especially the youths and the Obidients, as they have remained focused on the core mission of a New Nigeria that is POssible even after the February 25, 2023 presidential election.
Before, during, and after the campaign, it is on record that I have maintained my commitment and focus on issue-based campaign about a New Nigeria that is POssible, a shift of emphasis from consumption to production, a New Nigeria characterized by inclusion, justice, equity, fairness, and prosperity.
"I repeatedly stated that no one should vote for me based on Tribe or Religion, but rather on the assessment of Character, Competence, Capacity, Credibility, and Compassion that can be trusted to create a New Nigeria!
"The present attempts by the APC as a Party, and the APC Led-government through some government officials and agencies to divert our attention from our blatantly stolen mandate is unfortunate and sad.
"These have come and continued to manifest in different ways, such as the malicious accusation of the Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed, the circulation of a fake doctored audio call, and a pressure on me to leave the country.
"Let me reiterate that the audio call being circulated is fake, and at no time throughout the campaign and now did I ever say, think, or even imply that the 2023 election is, or was a religious war.
The attempts to manipulate Nigerians is very sad and wicked. Our legal team have been instructed to take appropriate legal actions against Peoples Gazette and others.
"While we call on all concerned Nigerians and the International Community to implore the APC and the APC Led-government to stop their nasty attacks, my focus and commitment to lawfully and peacefully retrieve our mandate to secure and unite our Nation,
take Nigeria from consumption to production, pull millions of Nigerians out of multidimensional poverty especially in the North, and jumpstart prosperity through agricultural, industrial, and technological revolution remain unchanged.
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"Elections are over, and we are in court to retrieve our stolen mandate. Let me reiterate that we are doing so through all lawful and peaceful options in line with our legal system and constitution, and I continue to implore all Nigerians to remain peaceful and law abiding.
"Those fixated with heating up the polity, creating divisions, tensions and hatred within and outside Nigeria should remember that Nigeria is our only country. Our focus should be on how to address the litany of challenges facing us, such as:
flawed electoral processes, the parlous state of our economy, unsustainable debt burden, lamentable unemployment and inflation, insecurity, and multi-dimensional poverty. A New Nigeria is indeed POssible, and God will help us. -PO."
