Peter Obi distances self from picture on prayer mat

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has said that the picture of him on a Muslim prayer mat posted on social media did not emanate from his campaign team.

In a tweet on Friday, Obi said the picture making the rounds online was done by a misguided support group.

Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide to ex- president Goodluck Jonathani, had on Thursday posted a photo of the Labour Party with Obi’s image on a prayer mat.

Omokri, who supports the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, described it as a sad development.

He said, “This is why I say Christians should compulsorily study IRK (Islamic Religious Knowledge) and Muslims should do same with CRK (Christian Religious Knowledge).

“I have read the Quran. This is wrong. Islam does not tolerate images of humans or animals in mosques. Tinubu tried it in Mecca and the Saudis arrested his campaigners!

“Islam does not tolerate images of humans in mosques or on prayer mats. How much more an image of a politician. This is sad.

“And you cannot even counsel these people. They feel they know more than those counselling them. You talk one, they talk one hundred. Anyway, we are watching.”

Reacting to this, the former Anambra State Governor said that he has deep respect for all religions.

“The inclusion of my picture on the praying mat by a support group was misguided, even with the best of intentions. It didn’t emanate from my campaign team. I have deep respect for the Muslim faith and indeed, for every other religion. We will never mock any faith, ethnicity or gender. We are one Nigeria.,” he tweeted.