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PFN, Others Move Against Muslim-Muslim Ticket
Rising from its emergency meeting, yesterday, in Lagos, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) vowed to mobilise its members against voting for any party with Muslim-Muslim ticket in next year’s election.
National President, PFN, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, also declare Sunday, June 26, 2022 a PVC Day in all its churches nationwide, where members would made to show their PVCs before entering the church.
Oke admitted that Nigeria was currently at a cross road, particularly as the 2023 elections approached.
He said the 2023 election carried the potential to unite Nigeria across ethnic and religious line and that it could also scatter the nation if things were not done properly.
Saying that the church would continue to contribute its quota to indivisible Nigeria, the PFN boss warned against Muslim-Muslim ticket by any party in the presidential election.
Oke stated that not only PFN had been talking about it, but that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had also been kicking against such move.
“We are not talking about the Muslim-Muslim ticket on the basis that we are Christians, but on basis of fairness, equity,” he said.
He said the church would move against Christian-Christian ticket and Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying that it would help to bring down tension in the midst of killings.
“A Christian-Christian and Muslim-Muslim ticket will not work for Nigeria. Muslim-Muslim ticket is unfair, it means over 54percent of the Christian populace will be marginalised.
“If all that the church has said and a party did not listen to our counsel, they will meet us at the poll, we will be waiting for them.
“All PFN chapters nationwide have declared Sunday, June 26 as PVC Sunday. It will be a communal service, all members of voting age must come to church with their PVCs. Members are to show their PVCs before they enter the church,” Oke stated.
He said after that, the church would now mandate all who did not have their cards to go out and get theirs before the expirations day.
“The voters’ apathy that has been the issue will not count in this election. After PVC Sunday, we will deliberate and provide a clear direction for the church in collaboration with CAN so that we can deliver block votes to a candidate that will unite this nation, a party that will not encourage the killing of Deborah. We will give all party a fair chance. We are setting a high-powered member committee to meet with all parties how they will deal with insecurity and others.
“We want a just nation that caters for all its citizens no matter the religion, we encourage all believers to register and get their PVCs and wait for the instruction from church founders how they will go about it,” he added.
Similarly, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria has berated politicians who are clamouring for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, calling it “most insensitive and tacit endorsement of negative voices of non-state actors threatening the country’s unity.”
This is as it strongly advised the political parties toying with the possibility of flying same-religion presidential ticket to have a rethink and present a more inclusive alternative.
Its position was made known in a statement co-signed by the CSN Secretary-General, Rev. Fr. Zacharia Samjumi, and Director, Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Michael Umoh, which was made available to newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja.
The Catholic Secretariat also said those mulling a Muslim-Muslim ticket were merely playing the ostrich with the apparent religious crisis and polarisation in the country.
The statement reads in part, “Ordinarily, there would have been nothing wrong with a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket in a democratic dispensation if there is mutual trust and respect for the human person and where the overriding desire for seeking political office is the fostering of the common good. But one cannot really say so of our country at the moment.
“With the present glaring crisis and division in the nation, a Muslim-Muslim ticket would be most insensitive and a tacit endorsement of the negative voices of many non-state actors who have been threatening this nation’s unity and peaceful coexistence without an arrest.
“It is disheartening to observe that the conduct of most of our politicians seem to be going from bad to worse as we witnessed a show of shame and heightened ugly culture of money politics during the recently held primaries.
“While all this is going on, we must not lose sight of the fact that the unity of this country has, over the years, been maintained by a delicate balancing of the religious and the regional.”
The CSN noted that even in the despotic military regimes, most juntas ensured a balance of the religious architecture in their regimes.
It said, “For instance, we had Murtala-Obasanjo, Obasanjo-Yar’Adua, Babangida-Ebitu Ukiwe, Abacha–Diya. This also applied to the heads of the various military formations and the different government parastatals like Customs, Immigrations, Finance, etc.
“Significantly, it was only during the General Muhammadu Buhari era as military Head of State (December 31, 1983 – August 27, 1985) that we had a Muslim-Muslim military dictatorship.
“Similarly, only once did we have a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 1993 democratic elections, which featured Abiola-Kingibe ticket and turned out to be one of Nigeria’s freest and fairest elections. But that government never took off.
“We, therefore, strongly advise those political parties toying with divisive agenda to have a rethink by presenting a more inclusive ticket, while calling on all people of goodwill to resist this budding injustice that may be hatched against a cross section of the people.
“There must be sensitivity in the spread of political positions without compromising competence,” the statement added.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
