Peter Obi has threatened to sue the Peoples Gazette for publishing a tape of his conversation with David Oyedepo even though every deepfake detection software shows that the audio is authentic and unedited. What are his chances against the paper in a court of law?

Obi’s Face-Saving Litigious Bluster against Peoples Gazette
By Farooq A. Kperogi
Twitter: @farooqkperogi

For at least three reasons, I really wanted to stay away from the hoopla that attended Peoples Gazette’s publication of Peter Obi’s “religious war” (or “Thank you, Daddy”) phone conversation with Living Faith Church’s Pastor David Oyedepo.

One, there was nothing in the conversation that was surprising to me. I have repeatedly called attention to the unmistakably Christo-centric tenor of Peter Obi’s campaign, which his deluded defenders disingenuously deny even when undeniably overwhelming evidence unquestionably points to it.

Unlike many people, however, I don’t hold this against Obi. It was his tactical and strategic response to APC’s same-faith ticket and PDP’s nomination of a northern Muslim as its candidate after eight years of a northern Muslim presidency.

In a deeply fractured country like Nigeria, when a competitive electoral contest pits entrenched collective identities against each other, as I’ve pointed out several times, it’s inevitable that political gladiators will deploy religion and ethnicity as tools for mobilization.

Second, I recognized that Obi’s “religious war” comment to Oyedepo was merely his attempt to cultivate what we call consubstantiality in rhetorical studies, that is, establishing mutual ideals, values, interests, and attitudinal dispositions with the person or people you’re speaking to. Every human being seeking to persuade does it.

Oyedepo is a militantly passionate anti-Muslim preacher (who once told congregants to never give alms to any “Malams by the roadside” who beg them “in the name of Allah”), so the best stratagem to achieve identification with such a person is to invoke the specter of a “religious war” with Muslims. And it was very effective. “I believe that. I believe that. I believe that,” Oyedepo said in response to Obi’s claim that the 2023 presidential election was a “religious war.”

Although Obi deployed anti-Anglican bigotry (and often framed Chris Ngige as a “Yoruba man” in order to delegitimize him, which Okey Ndibe condemned in his columns) to gain and retain power when he was governor of Anambra State, I have not seen any credible evidence of Islamophobia against him.

Significantly, Obi is Igbo and Oyedepo is Yoruba (in common with Tinubu, Obi’s mortal opponent), so Christianity is the only obvious margin of overlap between their lived experiences. Obi exploited that overlap to establish kinship with Oyedepo, like any politician would do. I don’t have a problem with that.

Finally, I think Southern Nigerian Christian politicians suffer a linguistic disadvantage that their Hausaphone northern Muslim counterparts don’t when it comes to the exploitation of religion for politics. They discuss their strategies of religious mobilization in English, Nigeria’s national language that most people have access to, but Hausaphone northern politicians discuss theirs in the Hausa language, which isn’t accessible to most people in the South.

Muslim Northern politicians have uttered similar or worse sentiments than Obi’s during political campaigns, but their verbal indiscretions often don’t leak out because of linguistic barriers. On the few occasions that they do (such as when Buhari exhorted Muslims to vote for only Muslim politicians who’re sympathetic to Sharia or when he said the dog and the baboon would be soaked in blood if the 2015 election was rigged), northern defenders muddy the waters by accusing southerners of mistranslation, of literalness, of incompetence in understanding interlingual equivalence between Hausa and English, etc.

And, frankly, how many people will come out smelling good if their private communications are made public? We all have what scholars call a duality of scripts. We sometimes say different things for public and private spaces, although I think publicizing the private thoughts of politicians who’re seeking political offices that put them in positions to determine the destinies of millions of people is fair game.

So, I was prepared to let this slide until Obi issued a statement calling the leaked telephone conversation “fake” and threatening to “take appropriate legal actions against Peoples Gazette and others” for publishing the tape. (By the way, who are the “others”?)

That statement implies that he will sue the Peoples Gazette for libel. I am convinced that this is mere face-saving litigious bravado that will peter out quietly. In libel law, truth is the most important defense. The tape is NOT fake, so Obi can’t conceivably win a case against the Peoples Gazette.

First, on April 1st, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) fact-checked the audio tape and found that it is neither AI-generated nor altered by editing. “FIJ subjected the audio to a deepfake test using Deepware, an AI tool used to detect alterations in audios and videos,” the publication wrote. “Deepware’s deepfake detection technology ‘was designed to detect deepfake videos or, simply, any fake content in the areas of visual and audio communication.’”

I also personally used multiple deepfake detection software and found no evidence that the audio was edited or generated by Artificial Intelligence.

Plus, Obi’s presidential campaign spokesperson by the name of Kenneth Okonkwo confirmed the authenticity of the tape and even retorted that “Honesty is the best policy” when he was unremittingly bullyragged by the headless mob of revoltingly primitive social media rapscallions who call themselves “Obidients.”

Obi’s close personal media aide by the name of Valentine Obienyem also all but confirmed the genuineness of the tape and only added the requisite fib that spokesmen of Nigerian politicians must tell by claiming that “They edited out the Muslim-Muslim ticket that led to the discussion, where Obi said that in a society like ours, religious balancing was a necessary consideration and that their recklessness had made Christians to assume it was a religious war.”

That’s the most persuasive admission yet that the tape is real. Obienyem gave an insider’s confirmation that the conversation did take place. Is he and Okonkwo the “others” that Obi threatened to sue alongside Peoples Gazette?

Well, Oyedepo himself hasn’t questioned the veracity of the tape. He only said Obi was one of several politicians who routinely call to seek his blessing and counsel and that he is not a political partisan. Maybe, he is also part of the “others” that Obi will sue. He basically confirmed the Peoples Gazette’s story.

More than that, though, Peoples Gazette gave Peter Obi and his aides ample pre-publication opportunities to respond to the tape before publishing it. The paper said it gave Obi and his aides 48 hours. They didn’t respond.

The paper reached out to Oyedepo via WhatsApp who asked to be sent the audio file. The paper did. Oyedepo read the WhatsApp message, but never responded 24 hours after the fact, probably because he remembered the conversation but couldn't defend it with the resources of logic and reason.

So, what will Obi tell the courts if/when he sues Peoples Gazette “and others”? If he says the tape is fake and Peoples Gazette insists that it isn’t, the court will call IT experts to authenticate it. The result will embarrass Obi, diminish his credibility irretrievably, and herald the death knell of his budding national political career.

That’s why I think he is merely blustering—or that unscrupulous lawyers want to get his “shishi,” which he doesn’t like giving out to people. In law, if a piece of information causes you to suffer reputational damage or emotional anguish it isn’t libel if it is true. Irreproachable scientific proofs and circumstantial evidence conclusively show that the audio tape is real. Obi has no legal basis to seek redress from the Peoples Gazette.

If Obi had threatened to sue on the basis of the invasion of his privacy, that would have been a different matter altogether. Although Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution provides that, “The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected,” there is not a sufficient body of judgements against privacy violations in Nigeria to determine how the courts will rule.

But privacy violation isn’t the basis of his threat because that would confirm that he did utter the words he is disclaiming. The basis for his litigious threat is the claim that “the audio call being circulated is fake” and that “At no time throughout the campaign and now did I ever say, think, or even imply that the 2023 election is, or was a religious war.”

That’s in the realm of libel. In light of watertight evidence that it is he who is lying, not the Peoples Gazette, let’s see if he’ll have the courage to follow through with his threat. I am salivating in anticipation.

Read more at:
https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2023/04/obis-face-saving-litigious-bluster.html?m=1
Mynd44 nlfpmod mynd44 Seun

Worth the time.... Good one from Prof. As usual

Now, you are talking.
This is the Best way to approach the Audio leak. Just explain it in plain terms.

But, then it is claimed that the Audio is fake, so let's PG be sued so that we can have a proper trail of the tape and know who is lying.

PDAPC no wan rest since Obi go court. Crying all over the space.

This man is always twisting things against Obi, Has he analyzed the audio himself?

PO thinks election petition is a continuation of campaigns....e go shock am

E dey sweet me
Obidients thnk they are the only ones that have monopoly of madness

When we told them that Razor gazette na useless media, they disagreed because it was initially favouring them, now the table has turned.

Rikishi pawon po

mycar:
This man is always twisting things against Obi, Has he analyzed the audio himself?

Didn't you read where he said he personally used some deepfake detection software to analyze the audio?
What is not in dispute at this point is that Obi is a chronic liar.

PureMe01:
PDAPC no wan rest since Obi go court. Crying all over the space.

Court case that he has absolutely no/zero chance of winning? Dead before arrival.

Nonsense, surprised that their are politically oblivious things that still take pride in deceiving themselves.

Nothing wrong in the yes Daddy rubbish

PureMe01:
PDAPC no wan rest since Obi go court. Crying all over the space.

Sorry who has been crying all over?

Don't you people know how to move on in live?

T

[quote author=sapele914 post=122369229] Court case that he has absolutely no/zero chance of winning? Dead before arrival.

Nonsense, surprised that their are politically oblivious things that still take pride in deceiving themselves. [/qufote]

Did I hear you say is dead on arrival? Guy , just cool down and watch. Neglect the court case at your own perils. Alot is going on underground in the camp of the APC. They are looking for ways to silent PO, Including arresting Him but they have not gotten evidence and the current president is against it.

In the Court case file, the USA will be coming to testify about what they know about the drug case . The school will also be represented to give their on side of the story on the certificate issue and 25 percent Abuja issue will be finally interpreted.

Interesting time ahead. Why do you think this whole fight is between APC and LP. Pdp is a little bit silent.

My guy, matter dey ground. There is tension in the country, the united nations are watching carefully. Let's see who receives the congratulations from the united state.

Less I forget. The press briefing by lair Mohammed abroad to foreign press was part of the game plan.

Guestlander:


Didn't you read where he said he personally used some deepfake detection software to analyze the audio?
What is not in dispute at this point is that Obi is a chronic liar.

No matter what obi will win.

Who gave them the right to make his private conversation public?

How did they get it?
NCC has denied that it's not from them..

It mean his line was hacked . The audio was to clear to be recorded.

Obi have a Case.

NCC will prove if it was real or fake. That is if someone take up the case against him.

The writer got it wrong it is NCC that can prove the authenticity of the audio through the service provider . They have a copy of all audio conversation.

Obi yes daddy

You asked us to go to court, we are in the court, you said our petition is watery the judge will deliver judgement before 12noon the following day

But this desperation and propaganda coming from every angle is a surprise to me

You have bribed almost everybody in the country to come and speak and troll the man you said he didn't win

Omokri
Soyinka
Deji
These names Are now going crazy because of the quality of alert they received

The fascists will come for their beloved farouk kperogi now that he's against their saint peter

Difrent:
PO thinks election petition is a continuation of campaigns....e go shock am

E dey sweet me
Obidients thnk they are the only ones that have monopoly of madness

Peter Obi GCFR would be the first ever politician in the history of the federal republic of Nigeria, to single handlely, remove a drug lord from office, go and mark my words, todays date is 8th April 2023, you would come back here and quote me.

Wait.... why exactly is APC & it's paid lackeys panicky?

Why not respond on court?

What's all these campaign after election again?

Abi e no sure for dem ni?

herkeem:


In light of watertight evidence that it is he who is lying, not the Peoples Gazette, let’s see if he’ll have the courage to follow through with his threat. I am salivating in anticipation.

He shouldn't have denied the authenticity of the conversation! Denying it is so shameful and has affected his integrity in ways he won't understand now! Nobody will arrest him for calling Oyedepo; the Muslims also consulted their imams! Why deny the obvious?

Intelligent write up

He goofed when he said he wanted to sue when indeed it is real

IVORY2009:



Peter Obi GCFR would be the first ever politician in the history of the federal republic of Nigeria, to single handlely, remove a drug lord from office, go and mark my words, todays date is 8th April 2023, you would come back here and quote me.

you said more than this before

If obi and obident couldn't defeat tinubu on the ballot is it in the court they would now when

Court is just a combination of money, connect, strategy, power and tinubu pass obi the boy in all these

helinues:


Sorry who has been crying all over?

Don't you people know how to move on in live?

Zombie rest

Kperogi is smart and consistent. We need more columnists to think and write like him.

Hmmmmmmmmm.
Thanks Prof Kperogi for the beautiful article.
I believe this Bishop Oyedapo- Peter Obi brouhaha will serve as a lesson to His followers.
Now it's the case of the Bully being bullied and the Terror being terrorised......
When People Gazette published that very deceptive, libelous, irritating article on the Chief Justice of Nigeria disguising as an ill man to secretly meet ASIWAJU in London,I expected sane Nigerians to at least try to find out the authenticity of the publication before rushing to castigate his Honor,but alas sensibility was thrown to the Mud.
All manners of insults,bile,and mud was thrown at the Chief Judge,the online Bullies really made a mincemeat of the head of the Judiciary.
Now it's the turn of the Bully to be bullied,let Mr Peter feel the heat of the mob who have decided to sacrifice common sense at the expense of decorum.
Mr Peter Obi will be labeled a religious fanatic,a spineless man who bows at the feet of men not of God in his quest to take power,infact a Desperado who's ready to make enemies of Muslims in order to secure power.
This is the reaction he will get from the actions his headless Mob has unleashed and sowed in Nigeria in the last 5 months.
Peace is not an option with these Obidients until they accede to the request of sensible Nigerians to stop their crazy, senseless criticism of anyone opposed to their illogical opinion.
Let the insult flow.
E ti ri nkankan.
God bless Nigeria

The conversation is deep fake. I have done my research with my own software.

Am I the only one enjoying all these drama? Especially the letters and articles. Omoh, we are in for a very eventful 4 years.

Obi is a politician, just like others. I will never believe that he or any Nigerian politician is a 'righteous' man.

PureMe01:
PDAPC no wan rest since Obi go court. Crying all over the space.

They are ready to do anything else apart From going to the court that they sent us to? Them no like their court again?

A lots of things are becoming clearer. The criminal establishment is becoming more jittery and restless. Otherwise, it was in this same country Justice Onneghen's CCT asset declaration form was retrieved by an alleged whistle-blower. However, all attempts to get the asset declaration forms of Buhari, Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi, Fashola proved abortive.

Many Rotimi Amaechi phones calls were unearthed prior to the 2019 wherein he roundly denounced Buhari as a challant president. But all were roundly denied. Gandollar dollar bribe videos were denied even by Buhari.

Fast forwarded to 2023, a phone call of a gentleman who advocated for equity and justice is being regarded as a treasonable act. While Islamic clerics have called the Muslim muslim ticket of the APC as a declaration of Jihad. Yet Peter Obi is termed the bigot? Nigeria is a criminal enterprise being ruined by wicked men in high places but it must be dismantled.