The Peter Obi Media Reach, POMR, has said that its principal did not advocate for dismantling Nigeria’s church structure.
POMR said the interpretation of the 2023 Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate’s recent media interview was misleading.
The organization, in a statement by its spokesperson, Ibrahim Umar in Abuja on Sunday, said it clarified that there was no indication in the interview that Obi was calling for the dismantling of places of worship.
Umar stated, “We have been made aware of a significant distortion of Obi’s recent media interview, which erroneously claims he called for the dismantling of churches in Nigeria.
“The headline given to the interview has misrepresented the essence of Obi’s message, twisting it to serve a mischievous agenda.”
He described Obi as a man of deep faith who respects all religions.
According to him, in the interview, the former Anambra State Governor aimed to illustrate how faith can be more effectively integrated into people’s lives.
Obi referenced Apostle James’s words in James 2:14, stating, “Faith without works is unhelpful,” and in James 2:24, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
Umar explained that when Obi mentioned turning night vigils into production nights, he highlighted the importance of worship through work.
“Even Jesus Christ did not choose his 12 disciples while they were praying; he found them working—fishermen, tax collectors, and so forth,” he said.
Umar pointed out Proverbs 14:23, which states, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”
He further stated that Nigerians should not substitute work for prayer, as both should coexist.
“There is no biblical evidence of Jesus blessing an idle person; instead, he consistently rewarded hard work, as seen in the Parable of the Three Servants (Matthew 25:14-30), where the servant who produced greater profit through diligent effort received the larger blessing,” Umar noted.
The POMR restated that the media’s slant on Obi’s interview contradicts its true essence and should be dismissed.
Peter Obi didn’t call for dismantling of churches – Media group
