Claims that the principal of Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) supported tearing down Nigeria’s church hierarchy have been denied.

According to the organisation, Mr. Obi’s recent media interview was interpreted in a deceptive way.

There was no evidence in the interview that Obi was advocating for the destruction of sites of worship, the Media Office confirmed in a statement issued by POMR Spokesperson Ibrahim Umar in Abuja on Sunday.

“We have learnt of a serious misrepresentation of Obi’s recent media appearance, which falsely asserts that he advocated for the destruction of Nigerian churches,” Umar said. Obi’s message has been misconstrued in the interview’s headline, which has been twisted to further a cunning goal.

Obi is a deeply religious man who appreciates all religions, he said. He sought to demonstrate in the interview how faith may be more successfully incorporated into people’s lives.

The apostle James said, “Faith without works is unhelpful,” and in James 2:24, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” Obi cited these statements.

Obi emphasised the significance of devotion through labour when he spoke about transforming night vigils into manufacturing evenings. He said that even Jesus Christ did not select his twelve disciples as they were praying; instead, he discovered them employed as tax collectors, fisherman, and other occupations.

Proverbs 14:23, which reads, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty,” was cited by Umar. He said that prayer and work should coexist and that Nigerians should not replace one another.

“The Parable of the Three Servants (Matthew 25:14–30) shows that Jesus consistently rewards hard work, with the servant who produces the greatest profit through diligent effort receiving the larger blessing. There is no biblical evidence that Jesus blessed an idle person,” Umar said.

He went on to say that certain Nigerian worship groups are not following St. James’ counsel to be “doers of the word” in James 1:22.

The POMR reaffirmed that the media’s interpretation of Obi’s interview is inaccurate and therefore to be disregarded.

Umar added, “Obi’s message about the need for increased productivity is crucial, especially as the country grapples with declining productivity, as a leader whose campaign focusses on transitioning Nigeria from consumption to production.”

“It’s attractive, politics and church, but it has to be dismantled,” and “We are going to turn night vigils into night shifts so that people can be productive” were two of Obi’s most significant statements from the conversation. These declarations aim to address problems in Nigeria’s worship culture that must change for the benefit of its people while respecting their Creator.