The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria says, for the sake of fairness, justice and equity, whoever should emerge as the country’s next President in 2023 must be a Christian.
The position of the body was made known by its National President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, at the end of the quarterly meeting of the National Executive Council of the Fellowship in Lagos.
Oke said on Friday, “We do not think it is right to have another Muslim president, come 2023. A Muslim President would have governed for eight years, by 2023. The church has been fully supportive of him. We prayed and supported him.
“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.”
He added, “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.”
