Sowore said Obi cannot sue Peoples Gazette for publishing the leaked audio as he had threatened to do.
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, has described his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, as a chronic liar.
Reacting to Obi’s denial of his leaked phone conversation with Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide and presiding Bishop of the Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria, Sowore said Obi cannot sue Peoples Gazette for publishing the leaked audio as he had threatened to do.
SaharaReporters on Wednesday reported that Obi in a statement on his verified Twitter account denied the audio conversation that had been trending for days and claimed that it is fake.
In the leaked phone conversation, Oyedepo prayed for Obi, saying, “In Jesus’ name, we are going to get a bright tomorrow,” with Obi replying by saying, “When I hear these prayers, it is very dear to me and like I keep saying, if this thing works, you people will never regret the support.”
Continuing the conversation, Oyedepo said, “We look forward to God’s intervention,” to which Obi responded by saying, “Thank you, Daddy. I need you to speak to your people in the Southwest and Kwara. The Christians in the Southwest and Kwara.” Bishop Oyedepo said: “Okay.”
Obi continued by saying, “This is a religious war,” with Oyedepo responding immediately, “I believe you, I believe that. You know, I did a release, ‘Nigeria going forward’ and I’m coming out with the second one today.”
But Obi had skirted around the phone scandal which followed the leakage of his leaked conversation with the famous cleric. However, on Wednesday, Obi in the statement said, “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.”
Obi added that “Our legal team have been instructed to take appropriate legal actions against Peoples Gazette and others”.
Meanwhile, Obi’s claim contradicts the position of one of the spokespersons for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, and the candidate’s Media Assistant, Valentine Obienyem, who had admitted the authenticity of the audio.
Reacting to Obi’s denial of the audio conversation with Oyedepo and his threat to sue Peoples Gazette, Sowore said Obi is a liar and cannot sue for defamation or libel.
He added that Obi’s denial of the leaked audio is an effort to cover up the “yes daddy” phone scandal.
Sowore said, “@peterobi is A LIAR and a chronic LIAR can’t sue for defamation or libel, this is grandstanding to cover up for the “YES DADDY” phone scandal, aimed at intimidating @GazetteNGR.
“If at all he dare sue @GazetteNGR he will abandon the lawsuit halfway and claim he’s forgiven you guys out of benevolence.
“How does a LIAR reply when he or she is told, “Liar, liar, pants on fire” they simply say, “I don’t care, I don’t care, I can buy another pair.” @Peterobi just completely lied about his phone call to @BishopOyedepofdn where went on seeking extraordinary help even though his top aides including @UtomiPat have all fessed up.”