Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday, distanced himself from the alleged claim that he gave the Christian Association of Nigeria and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria the sum of N2 billion to support his candidacy in the February 25 presidential election.
Obi made the denial while speaking on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ programme.
On Sunday, a viral petition allegedly written by one Pastor Frank Onwumere and dated December 15, 2022, was addressed to the CAN President.
The petitioner allegedly claimed that the N2bn was disbursed among some “mega-churches” while other denominations were sidelined.
CAN in its reaction to the accusation said it would probe the source of the petition, in which the allegation was made, describing its content as “untrue and malicious”.
Meanwhile, the Obi-Datti campaign organisation and the pastor whose name was used to sign the purported petition also dismissed it as baseless.
Obi, while speaking on the allegation, said, “I don’t even have N2 billion. What am I giving the clerics that kind of money for?
“They are clerics and should be praying for the progress of the country.”
He added that the clerics’ followers are suffering from bad governance and can only benefit good leadership by voting for him, adding, “They should be the ones to even support my campaign with money so that I can emerge (the winner) and not the other way round.
“I have never given N1 to CAN.
“If anybody can trace that I have given the Christian body money before, they should prove me wrong and I will back down from my presidential pursuit.”