‘I’ve never campaigned for anybody’ — Oyedepo speaks amid backlash over leaked audio

David Oyedepo, founder of Winners Chapel, says he has never campaigned for any political candidate before.

His comment comes amid backlash trailing alleged audio of his conversation with Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).

In the viral clip, a voice similar to that of Obi can be heard asking the cleric to speak to the Christians in the south-west and Kwara to vote for him in the presidential poll, describing the election as a “religious war”.

Some supporters of Obi had described the audio as fake.

But Kenneth Okonkwo, a spokesperson of the LP campaign, said the clip was authentic.

He, however, claimed, “political criminals are trying to spin the conversation as if the LP candidate was making a religious comment”.

Addressing his congregation on Sunday, Oyedepo said he will not campaign for anyone “till I go to heaven”.

He neither confirmed nor denied that the conversation took place.

“Nobody had ever told me what to say in this world. No. I have never campaigned for anybody or spoken on anybody’s behalf and I will not do that till I go to heaven,” Oyedepo said.

“There is no (political) party in this country that didn’t come to me for prayers and advice. I advised them, some, they didn’t take. Those who chose to take it, see results; those who said no, are going about it. If you still come again, I will still tell you, it doesn’t change.”