The campaign team of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party, disagreed on Friday with media rumors that his frequent visits to churches and mosques were a form of religious politics used to enhance his political image for the 2027 election.
Last month, during the Ramadan period, the former governor of Anambra received a lot of criticism for visiting mosques to celebrate Iftar with the Muslim community.
Iftar is the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan to end the day’s fast.
However, his campaign team's Chief Spokesman, Yunusa Tanko, has a different perspective.
In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, Tanko emphasized that Obi's charitable acts go beyond the complexities of politics and religion.
He also denounced the 'harmful and unverified claim', stating that it was designed to smear the LP presidential candidate.
“We are aware that some individuals posing as civil society and non-governmental organizations, but actually acting at the direction of some influential political forces, have been mobilized to petition and accuse Peter Obi of engaging in religious politics.
“The goal is to tarnish Obi’s purely charitable intentions in supporting disadvantaged Nigerians of all faiths. The plan is to falsely assert that he visits religious sites to conduct political campaigns during the off-season. Obi fully understands the constitutional requirement for the separation of church/mosque and state, and recognizes that Nigeria is unquestionably a secular state.
“Obi’s visits to churches and mosques are solely driven by his desire to assist the less fortunate and have nothing to do with political campaigns. During these visits, Obi delivered messages of hope to uplift the spirits of those in need. He never discussed politics, insulted anyone, or engaged in name-calling.
“For example, during Ramadan, Obi visited various places of worship in the North and South to break fast with the Muslim community, donate items to alleviate their suffering, and provide basic amenities like clean water in certain communities. Therefore, we urge the public to disregard any suggestion that Obi is mixing politics with religion. These allegations should be viewed as an attempt to restrict Obi’s freedom of movement and citizen welfare initiatives,” he stated.
