Obi Warns Opponents Against Dragging Pope, Church Into Politics

Nigeria Democratic Congress(NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned the circulation of an artificial intelligence-generated image allegedly showing him and an Enugu State governorship candidate seeking Pope Leo XIV’s blessing for electoral victory.

Obi, through his media office, urged political opponents to keep the Pope and the Catholic Church out of partisan campaigns, describing the image as misleading and unwarranted.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the spokesman for Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Idris Zekeri Jnr., said the office had become aware of the image depicting Cardinal John Onaiyekan, described in the statement as the NDC presidential candidate, and Sir Chinyeaka Oha, the party’s Enugu State governorship candidate, standing before the Catholic Pontiff.

The statement condemned the alleged use of artificial intelligence to create the image and urged political actors to refrain from involving religious leaders and institutions in partisan disputes.

“The Church is a sacred institution that must be respected rather than exploited for political gain,” the statement said.

Obi maintained that his political campaign focused on addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including poverty, insecurity, corruption and economic hardship. He also highlighted the need to expand opportunities for young people and build a country where citizens could live with dignity and hope.

He challenged political opponents to focus their campaigns on policy issues, records and leadership capacity rather than religious controversies.

“Let us debate our records, policies, competence, character, and vision for the country,” Obi said.

He expressed disappointment over the incident, insisting that the 2027 general election should centre on Nigeria’s future and the issues affecting citizens.

“The 2027 election must focus on Nigeria’s future, not fabricated religious controversies,” he said.

Obi also called for the Pope and the Catholic Church to be allowed to carry out their spiritual responsibilities without being drawn into partisan political disputes.

“Let us keep the Church separate from politics and focus the campaign on the genuine issues facing Nigerians,” he added.