Did Peter Obi Say Yoruba Muslims Are Not Practising Real Islam? Facts Emerge
- A flyer circulating on social media attributed a controversial statement about Yoruba Muslims to NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi
- The flyer claimed Obi made the comment during an interview on Arise Television, and the post drew hundreds of reposts and reactions online
- TheCableCheck reviewed the full Arise Television interview to verify whether Obi made the statement attributed to him in the viral flyer
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - A flyer carrying the image of Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), spread across social media on Thursday, September 11, 2026, with a quote attributed to him claiming that "Yoruba Muslims are not practising real Islam."
The flyer used a screenshot from Obi's appearance on Arise Television and included the text:
Source: UGC
"The Yoruba Muslims are not practising real Islam. Real Islam is being practised only in the North; that's why the president should do Sallah in Sokoto or Kano."
Several X users shared the image. @Sistaliano posted it with the caption:
"This is an insult to the Yorubas, especially Muslims. Somebody needs to call this fool to order. What is this fgs?" The post gathered over 130 reposts, 250 comments, and 250 likes. Another user, @YemmyAj, shared the same flyer with the caption: "Give Peter Obi mic, and he will campaign against himself."
What Obi actually said on Arise TV
Fact-checkers at CableCheck watched the full video of the Arise Television interview, which ran for under 50 minutes and was published on YouTube.
Obi made no such remark about Yoruba Muslims anywhere in the interview.
The only comment he made that touched on Islam was about where he would spend the Sallah holidays if elected president.
Obi criticised President Bola Tinubu for marking the occasion in Lagos, saying he would use such moments to foster national unity.
"Sallah and everything, he (Tinubu) spends in Lagos. A Muslim. I will go to Sokoto and spend the Sallah with the Sultan and bring everybody together, and we will discuss the future. I will go to Kano," Obi said during the interview.
Verdict
The claim that Peter Obi said Yoruba Muslims are not practising real Islam is false. The quote in the viral flyer does not appear anywhere in the Arise Television interview, and no other verified source supports the attribution.
Obi resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on May 2, 2026, and was ratified as the NDC presidential candidate on May 29, 2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Source: Instagram
Peter Obi says North will benefit most
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Peter Obi made bold claims about his 2027 presidential ambitions during an exclusive interview with Arise News.
The former Anambra state governor singled out the North as the region that stands to benefit most from his administration.
Obi argued that northern poverty predates fuel subsidy removal and that agriculture holds the key to solving the region's problems.
Source: Legit.ng
