Peter Obi, the Labour Party's presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has clarified his recent comments on church vigils, saying they were misrepresented. He initially suggested converting church vigils into night shifts to boost productivity, emphasizing that Nigeria's poverty and unproductivity stem from politics and religion . This sparked mixed reactions, with many criticizing it as an infringement on religious traditions.

Obi's team has now released a statement saying his words were twisted and blown out of proportion. According to his media aide, Ibrahim Umar, Obi was highlighting the importance of balancing faith with work, citing Apostle James' message that "faith without works is unhelpful." Obi's intention was to encourage Nigerians to worship through work, not abandon their faith.