Peter Obi Faces Fresh Questions Over Viral ‘Religious War’ Audio After Interview Response
Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, has come under renewed scrutiny following his response to a question about a viral audio recording in which he was allegedly heard describing the 2023 presidential election as a “religious war.”
The controversy resurfaced after Obi was asked by Charles Anazido during a recent interview on Arise TV prime time show to clarify whether he had described the election as a religious war.
When the interviewer asked, “Did you call the election a religious war?”, Obi reportedly responded: “Charles, whatever you call it, whatever anybody wants to make of it, it’s fine with me.”
His response has since triggered fresh debate across social media, with critics accusing him of avoiding a direct answer to a question they considered straightforward.
The development was also discussed extensively on Nairaland, where contributors expressed sharply contrasting views over Obi’s response and the substance of the controversy.
Some critics argued that the former governor should have simply answered “yes” or “no”, while others maintained that the wording of the question created a political trap which Obi was entitled to avoid.
Critics accuse Obi of evading the question
Some of Obi’s critics said his response failed to clarify whether he stood by the comments attributed to him in the leaked recording.
They also recalled that when the audio first became controversial, Obi reportedly questioned its authenticity and threatened legal action against media organisations that published it.
The critics therefore argued that his latest response represents a departure from the more forceful position previously associated with him.
One of the arguments repeatedly raised was that Obi’s refusal to directly confirm or deny the statement could create difficulties for a politician seeking votes across Nigeria’s religious and ethnic divides.
Supporters see a different interpretation
Obi’s supporters, however, rejected the interpretation that his response amounted to an admission that he had described the election as a religious war.
They argued that the question itself was framed around an already disputed interpretation of the leaked audio and that a simple “yes” or “no” answer could have been politically misleading.
Some supporters also shifted attention to the decision by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2023, arguing that religious considerations had already become a major issue in the election.
Others pointed out that same-faith political tickets are not prohibited by Nigeria’s Constitution, noting that several states have historically produced governors and deputy governors from the same religious background.
The wider political argument
The renewed controversy comes as politicians and political parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi is expected to contest the presidency under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), while President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu is seeking another term under the APC.
The argument over the leaked audio has consequently taken on a broader political dimension, with supporters of the various camps using the controversy to question the candidates’ positions on religion, national unity and political strategy.
Critics of Obi believe the episode could become an issue during the 2027 campaign, particularly in northern parts of the country where religious sensitivity remains an important factor in electoral politics.
His supporters, on the other hand, argue that the controversy is being repeatedly recycled for political purposes and does not accurately represent Obi’s broader position on religion or governance.
