The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has declared that, for the sake of fairness, justice and equity, whoever should emerge as President of Nigeria in 2023 should be a Christian.
Speaking at the end of the quarterly meeting of the National Executive Council of the Fellowship in Lagos, the National President of the PFN, Bishop (Dr) Francis Wale Oke, presented the case of the body.
“We do not think it is right to have another Muslim president, come 2023. A Muslim President would have governed for 8 years, by 2023. The Church has been fully supportive of him. We prayed and supported him,” he said.
“We don’t regret it. But now, we want a Christian President. They should take that into consideration. What is right is right. If you watch it, right from 1999, it’s been alternating, Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan and then, Muhammadu Buhari. It shouldn’t be from President Buhari to another Muslim President. That will not be fair. Let us do what is right. God is a God of justice”.
Reacting to the argument that religion ought to be a consideration in the choice of who emerges as President, Bishop Wale Oke said, “The argument that it should not be about tribe or religion is good, but it is idealistic. We should be pragmatic.
“Whether we like it or not, religion has become a major factor in the politics of Nigeria. They brought it in and having brought it in, we are in it together and we are saying, we want a Christian President.
“That is speaking for the teeming millions of Nigerians. Since the political gladiators have brought in the factor of religion, let’s play it according to the way it is. Nothing else is acceptable.”
The National President of the PFN also spoke on a variety of issues, ranging from the state of insecurity in parts of the country, the economic situation and the challenges facing the country in the education and health sectors.
