Actor Kenneth Okonkwo, a Peter Obi supporter has confirmed a viral shameful phone conversation between Labour Party presidential candidate and Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel.
Okonkwo made the confirmation on Twitter and Instagram, although he tried to put another spin on it, different from the clear message in the audio.
In the original audio, Obi, quavering like a servant to his lord, sought the help of Oyedepo to sell him in the South West, Kwara, Kogi and Niger as a candidate of the church.
He gave an assurance that the church will not regret backing him.
Obi, who spoke from Onitsha few days to the 25 February election, declared the election as a religious war and wanted Oyedepo reach out to the christians in the aforementioned states.
Oyedepo responded that he was already doing something in that regard, citing a statement he had issued in which he said that a sick nation requires ‘a strong and healthy personality’.
To Oyedepo, the other main candidates were not good enough for Nigeria. Obi was the man, his God wanted for Nigeria.
Listen to the conversation:
Oyedepo gave the assurance that the election “shall be favourable” to Obi in “Jesus name”.
Obi concurred with Oyedepo’s prediction and promises, lacing his responses with ‘Yes Daddy, Thank You Daddy” and so on.
Okonkwo charging in on Saturday night, confirmed that the phone conversation took place but denied the obvious that Obi was exploiting the religious fault line of the nation.
“Our attention has been drawn to the publication of this audio tape of private conversation between @peterobigregory 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”.
“His Excellency 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 christiandom because the politicians of the other party is carrying on this campaign as if it is a religious war.
“To drive home this point, he informed him that he visited the traditional ruler of Offa, the Olofa of Offa, who is a Muslim but who advised Obi to get the support of Oyedepo and be assured of his own support.
“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”
English