Politics
That Call For More Christians In Politics
The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) says it has observed a dwindling interest among its members and Christians in general in Nigeria as regards playing active roles in politics.
In a communique issued at the end of its 68th General Church Council (GCC) in Jos, capital of Plateau State, last Saturday, the church decried a perceived political apathy among Christians in Nigeria and urged Christians to enroll into political parties of their choice with a view to affecting the political system from within.
According to the document which was signed by the president of the church, Rev. Stephen Panya and the General Secretary, Rev. Yunusa Nmadu, “The church notes with displeasure the high level of political apathy among Christians and encourage ECWA members and other Christians to actively join political parties of their choice”, adding that “Politics is dirty only because good people abstain from it”.
To give impetus to the resolution, the church council “approved the setting up of a political Advisory Committee at the District Church Council (DCC) level to provide guidance going forward in the new direction” but warned pastors to stay clear of partisan politics themselves.
It is not difficult to understand where the General Church Council of ECWA is coming from when viewed against the background of how colossal the political class in Nigeria has failed the people. From ECWA’s point of view, it is difficult to understand how the generality of the citizenry will be visited with such vicious level of mass poverty, ignorance, disease and insecurity of lives and property if the political class was sufficiently populated by men and women endowed with conscience, consideration (if not love) for fellow citizens, milk of human kindness and the basic fear of God. It is deducible from the perception of the church that “Christians” are endowed with those qualities and virtues that could make the difference in our political life, and eliminate corruption, greed, avarice, insensitivity, lack of sincerity, ungodliness and such unholy tendencies that have characterized the political leadership of our country.
Perhaps the church reasons that if Christian are at the commanding heights of political administration in the country, there would be less amount of frustration, dissention, anger, hunger and needless loss of lives occasioned by inadequate sensitivity to the plight of the common citizenry, selfishness and woeful mismanagement of the resources of the country.
Of course, the church can scarcely be contradicted on this score knowing that the faith is founded on love, sacrifice and selfless service to fellow man. The expectation, therefore, is that its adherents will be the embodiments of these virtues and concomitant values like honesty, probity, transparency, truthfulness, kindness, compassion, good neighbourliness, fairness, equity, justice and the like. Bring a good dose of these to bear in the management of any organization or society and you are on the way to reducing to the bearest minimum, strife and strain, conflict and contention within the body polity.
However, the question is ‘is it true that our government at all levels (federal, state and local council) have arguably not worked and are not working for the citizens because of insufficient presence of Christian officials? Or is it that what is lacking is a sufficient number of persons in the political class with the right Christian conviction, attitude, discipline and focus? And whose responsibility is it to raise the requisite quality of persons to populate the political class in order to bring about the desired state of affairs in the country?
Evidently, ECWA got it right when it observed that our society would run better with a good supply of people who have the right orientation, training and discipline of the Christian faith. But it is not very correct that we need more Christians than we already have in the administration of most parts of the country for things to be different.
While it is true that states in the North-Central and South-West have more than a fair share of Christians in politics as dictated by their population, states within the South-East and South-South regions are wholly dominated by Christians. From the local government areas to the state level, Christians who go to church every Sunday, hear the word of the Lord, partake in the rites, rituals and programmes of the church, expose themselves to the tutelage of men of God, receive guidance, counseling, instructions and prayers from spiritual fathers are the ones in total control of political affairs in the South-South and South-East States via the state and local council cabinets, the state and councils legislative assemblies, and the political parties. Yet the socio-economic fortunes of the people are no much different from other parts of the country.
It is no news that former christian chief executives of states and other top ranking political office holders are persons of interest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies. In fact, ex-governors Joshua Dariye and Rev. Jolly Nyameh and serving various prison terms while now Senator Orji Uzo Kalu is breathing the air of freedom due to legal technicality. The point is that Christians have not proven to be a better breed of politicians in Nigeria so far. So, to merely increase their number in the political sector is not likely to change anything. What is however likely to effect a change is the involvement of a higher and better discipled Christians in the political arena and it is the duty of the church to produce them.
ECWA and indeed the church of Christ in Nigeria must therefore take a sober reflection and concentrate on raising Christians who would uphold the standards set by the Master wherever they find themselves, whether in politics, public service or anywhere else. It is indeed a failing on the part of the church that most of its members in public office cannot be counted upon to be exemplary in piety, faithfulness, trustworthiness, uprightness and deserving of honour, dignity and commendation.
From all indication, church leaders have not been known to strongly condemn and openly upbrade Christians in public service who engage in corrupt practices and thereby shortchange the people and deepen their misery. When the leadership of the church raises its interest and expectation of mega financial contribution, support and assistance from politically exposed individuals within its fold, it subtly constitutes itself as part of the problem rather than the solution.
It is understandable that ECWA warned its pastors to stay away from partisan politics so that the church can be insulated from the incontinences associated with partisan politics in Nigeria. Those who are named by the name of the Lord must be pure, holy and beyond reproach. However, they must be courageous and bold in constantly monitoring, and conscientising their flock in political offices to discharge their duties as service to the Lord.
“When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice”, the Bible says. The church must make it its cardinal objective to raise righteous leaders for the country so that the people of Nigeria can be assured of a better standard of life that will glorify God. It is an unsettling contradiction that Nigeria which is among the most religious countries in the world is also amongst the top worst governed countries while housing the greatest number of the wretched of the earth in addition to being among the most corrupt nations.
Religious organizations in the country, the church in this case, must make deliberate effort to raise responsible and patriotic citizens. There are too many citizens who are neither aware of their civic duties, obligations and responsibilities nor are prepared to abide by lawful instructions, rules and directives of constituted authorities. The church must complement the efforts of government by impressing on its members the need for them to be law abiding and accord adequate respect and regard for leadership at all levels. This is the only way our country can work for all. Citizens at all levels must be conscientised to obey laws, follow rules and adhere to regulations intended to make life easier for them. A responsible citizenship will no doubt produce a responsible and responsive leadership at all times. ECWA and the church in general must therefore ensure that the members they are encouraging and preparing to join the political fray are thoroughly groomed to effect the change Nigerians want to see.
By: Opaka Dokubo
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday brushed aside the order of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which ordered him to stay proceedings in a suit that sought deregistration of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Accord Party and three others.
The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision of a panel of three Justices had on May 22, 2026 directed the Federal High Court Judge not to proceed with the suit until an appeal pending before them and filed by Accord Party is resolved.
In a Certified True Copy Enrol Order of the Superior Court, Justices Mohammed Danjuma, Adebukola Banjoko and Oyejoju Oyewumi asked the lower Court Judge to stay proceedings until all issues on the appeal filed by the Accord Party were resolved
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State had, through the Accord Party, applied to justice Lifu to join him as a defendant in the deregistration legal battle instituted by a group of former legislators.
The contention of the Osun State governor was that he had a stake in the Accord Party, being the platform he was seeking re-election in the August 15 gubernatorial poll in the state.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu on April 27 ruled against the Osun State governor, rejecting his request to be joined in the suit to defend his own position and interest.
Not satisfied with the Federal High Court decision, the Osun State governor, through his lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved to the Court of Appeal in Abuja where he challenged the Justice Lifu decision to refuse to allow him join the suit.
After listening to the argument canvassed, especially that he has interest to protect as Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for Osun State governorship election, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, unanimously directed Justice Lifu to allow them look into the grievances of the governor.
In specific terms, the Court of Appeal Justices directed Justice Lifu not to proceed further with the matter and fixed October 27 to determine the interlocutory appeal of the appellant.
However, when the certified enroll order and notice of appeal were served on Justice Peter Lifu by Mr Adetunbi (SAN), the judge rejected it on the ground that it was a ploy to arrest his judgment in the matter.
Although the judge had adjourned his judgment delivery in the matter indefinitely, he finally made a dramatic turn around on Monday and proceeded to deliver the judgment that has now proscribed the five political parties.
Actor turned politician, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo, has rejected the choice of former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Monday, Mallam Bolaji Abdulllahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, announced the party’s choice of Mr Amaechi.
However in a statement, Mr Okonkwo said that the choice of Mr Amaechi from the South South strengthens the continued marginalization of people from the South East.
According to the former spokesperson of the Labour Party, any arrangement that would not factor a person from the South East either as president or vice president in the party is anti-Igbo.
He contended that Chief Raph Nwosu, who founded the ADC in 2005 and willingly surrendered it’s leadership to Senator David Mark did not do so to entrench Igbo marginalization in the party.
The former actor said: “I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
“This geo-political zone has neither produced a president or vice president since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the president or vice president in the ADC in 2027, will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
“I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the national chairman and the president, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the vice president in 2027.
“I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, geo-political zone, or person will be marginalised.
“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his vice.
“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as president or vice in 2027”
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, on Monday said that the numerous projects being executed by President Bola Tinubu across the states in the southeast will give him upper hand over other presidential candidates during next year’s general elections.
Prof. Yilwatda stated this at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during a mega rally organized by the Ebonyi State government and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during which President Tinubu and other APC candidates for the 2027 general elections were adopted.
According to the APC National Chairman, no President had done for the southeast region what President Tinubu has done for them and expressed the confidence that the president would not only win in Ebonyi State but in the entire South East.
Prof. Yilwatda also used the occasion to address growing insinuations in some quarters that Ebonyi State had been conceded to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing the claim, Prof. Yilwatda said the state would not allow the PDP to win any position in the forthcoming general election.
“We will return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Francis Nwifuru as Governor of Ebonyi State in 2027.
“We want to return all APC senators, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates in 2027.
“Nobody has conceded Ebonyi to the PDP. Therefore, there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi PDP has no place, and there is no vacancy at all in the Government House come 2027,” the APC National Chairman declared.
He commended the people of the state for their support for President Tinubu and urged them to re-elect him in the next presidential election in appreciation of what he has done for the state and the entire South-East through infrastructural transformation and human capital development.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, who also spoke at the event, said the state had no other presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections apart from President Tinubu.
He declared that Ebonyi remained a stronghold of the APC and vowed that the party would deliver the President in the state.
Gov. Nwifuru said President Tinubu had shown exceptional commitment to the state and deserved total support for appointing Senator Umahi as Minister of Works, a role he said Senator Umahi had performed creditably.
“Ebonyi has no other presidential candidate apart from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we will return him in the presidential election.
“We are standing here today to tell the whole world, especially those using the President’s name to orchestrate division and confusion in this great state, that we have only one party, and that is the APC.
“This statement became necessary because some people are going around claiming they have discussed with Mr President and that he has handed Ebonyi over to the PDP. They are also saying that Chief Nyesom Wike is their leader and that Wike said the President has given Ebonyi to him.
“Ebonyi is not for sale. We are restraining ourselves because the people are with us. Nobody should push us because we have what it takes to confront anyone trying to destabilise us.
“We want to tell Mr President that he has earned our votes. He gave us what we had never had in Eastern Nigeria — the office of the Minister of Works. And this Minister of Works is not sitting idle; he is working,” he stated.
Senator Umahi, in his remarks, said President Tinubu had done what no other President had done for Ebonyi State and the entire South-East by executing numerous projects across the state and the region.
“Ebonyi State is a one-party state under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. We are not going to repeat the mistakes of the past.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot, not just for Ebonyi State but for the entire South-East and other geopolitical zones,” he said.
-
News4 hours agoFG Begins Trial Of Over 600 Terrorism Suspects
-
News4 hours agoNigeria Won’t Surrender Any Territory To Criminals -Tinubu
-
News5 days agoNigeria Exceeds OPEC Quota As Production Hits 11-month High
-
Featured5 days agoJUNE 12: Democracy Remains Nigeria’s Strongest Path To Unity, Progress, Says Fubara ….Extols Abiola, Wife
-
Politics5 days agoSenate Extends 2025 Budget Implementation To Sept. 30
-
News5 days agoReps Pass State Police Bill
-
News4 hours agoRivers Judges Commence Annual Vacation, July 20
-
News4 hours agoNDLEA Nets N6.15bn From Hotel, Seized Assets Auction