… says commission cannot track, leak telephone conversations
Nigerian Communications Commission, on Tuesday, denied being responsible for leaking the audio of a telephone conversation between the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and the Founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, aka Winners’ Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo.
NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, in a statement, said the commission didn’t know anything about the leaked audio.
Muoka said that the NCC was bound by the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 and therefore “cannot track nor leak telephone conversations to anyone.”
The commission said it had been overwhelmed with enquiries by the media and had issued the statement to set the record straight.
According to the statement, “The Nigerian Communications Commission has been inundated with enquiries by the media on allegations of telephone ‘tracking’ and ‘leakage’ made against the Commission by some individuals and groups in the social and alternative media.
“The Commission wishes to make the following clarifications: The Commission denies the allegations in their entirety; By the provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 and other extant Laws of the Federation, the Commission does not and cannot ‘track’ nor ‘leak’ telephone conversations of anyone.”
NCC disclosed that it had reported the allegations to the relevant security agencies for proper investigation and necessary action.
The commission also restated its commitment to discharging its responsibilities to the “Nigerian people in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the NCA 2003; other extant Laws of the Federation; and global best practices.”
The LP presidential flagbearer, Obi was heard in the audio clip, which went viral on Saturday, asking Oyedepo to help spread his message to Christians in the South-West and parts of North-Central.
Obi said, “Daddy, I need you to speak to your people in the South-West and Kwara, the Christians in the South-West and Kwara, this is a religious war.”
Oyedepo in his response said, “I believe that, I believe that, I believe that. If this works, you people will never regret the support.”
Obi’s media aide, Valentine Obienyem, in his reaction, argued that the leaked audio of his principal’s conversation with Oyedepo was edited out of context.
Oyedepo on his part said on Sunday that he never campaigned for any politician or spoke on their behalf in the run-up to the 2023 general elections.
The fiery cleric, who was addressing the congregation at the church’s headquarters, Faith Tabernacle, Ota, Ogun State, said, “I have never campaigned for anybody or spoken on anybody’s behalf and I will not do that till I go to heaven.
“There is no (political) party in this country that didn’t come to me for prayers and advice.”