&w=64&q=75)
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election says some people have been going about mimicking his voice to cause mischief.
Obi said he’s been a target of political mischief both in Nigeria and outside the country, the latest of which got him labelled as an ethnic and religious bigot.
The former governor of Anambra said this in a series of tweets on Thursday, May 18, 2023, following the drama involving Labour Party officials and the party’s factional leader, Lamidi Apapa at the premise of the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, May 17, 2022.
While the pre-hearing of the presidential tribunal was ongoing, Obi said someone called his attention to another fracas happening outside the courtroom.
Explaining the latest attempt to malign his person, Obi said Prince Mustapha Audu, son of the late former Governor of Kogi state alleged that he (Obi) called him on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, speaking Igbo but abruptly ended the call because he (Audu) was unable to respond in Igbo language.
According to Obi, Audu described him as a religious and ethnic bigot in the presence of the Labour Party spokesperson, Dr Yunusa Tanko and some other people.
“My duplicates are still on the rampage, they now mimic my voice and call people. There is no limit that people cannot go to cause mischief on their target. I have been a target both locally and internationally, Obi said.
“The latest incident happened in Abuja yesterday, 17th May at the Court of Appeal premises of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal venue, where my attention was drawn to what was going on outside the courtroom.
“A report came to me while I was seated in court that one Prince Mustapha Audu, son of the late Governor of Kogi state, held the OBIdient’s Chief Spokesman, Dr Yunusa Tanko and some others spellbound — castigating and talking down on me, describing me as an ethnic and religious bigot. He claimed that I called him while I was in front of his office on Tuesday morning at about 11 am, but suddenly cut off the phone after I spoke Igbo and he, Audu was unable to respond.”
Obi said Audu wondered why he aspired to rule Nigeria since he may only be disposed to helping and empowering people strictly because they are Igbos.
Obi continues, “According to him, Obi may have only helped to empower some businessmen strictly because they were Igbos, and he wondered why Obi should aspire to lead the country if he cannot accommodate other ethnic groups.
“It was one of my aides who quickly alerted me on what was going on and I pleaded with him to go outside and tell the OBIdients who were with the man to kindly delay him until I come out of the courtroom. After the court proceedings.
“I met with Audu and he repeated the same story, adding that he was angry at me for cutting off the phone on him because he could not speak Igbo. He insisted that I was in front of his office in Abuja when I called.”
Obi’s motive for sharing the incident involving Audu and a yet-to-be-identified caller mistaken to be him is connected with the alleged leaked audio tape between him and the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo.
In the leaked audio tape, Obi allegedly sought the support of Oyedepe to speak to and convince Christians in Kwara State to vote for him in the February 25 presidential election because the election was a ‘religious war’.
But while the spokesman of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo confirmed that the audio tape was genuine, Obi said the leaked conversation was fake.