By Emmanuel Babafemi
The General Overseer (GO) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has called upon Nigerians to fully participate in the coming 2023 elections.
He said every Nigerian has a duty to register and vote.
The 80-year-old revered cleric made the statements, ministering to his congregation on Sunday, during the thanksgiving service.
He said: “As a Nigerian, you have a duty to register, to vote and make sure your vote will count. You have a duty to belong to any party of your choice; you can’t refuse to vote and then complain about the government.”
The minister said his charge was not to be partisan and his interest was not conditioned on which party occupying the office, but his only concern was for whoever is in control of power to do well.
Pastor Adeboye said he “has nothing to do with partisan politics” and did not care about what political party people belong to or want to vote for as long as they perform their civic duty, while also adding that he did not know yet if there would be elections in 2023.
He said God has yet to speak to him about the elections unlike in 2019 when God revealed things to him before the elections.
“I have never told you this is the fellow you should vote for. I have never said this is the party you should belong to and I will never say it. Because in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, every party is represented here. APC, PDP, APGA, Labour and other parties that you don’t even know their names.
“Listen to me carefully and if you are going to quote me, quote me correctly. I am talking to those of you who are my children. Do you want to know the truth? And nothing but the truth? I am talking of myself now.
“As of now, as I am standing before you, I still don’t know yet whether or not there would be an election next year. Don’t say that Pastor Adeboye said there would be no election next year; that’s not what I said. Adeboye does not know yet, put the word ‘yet.’” Pastor Adeboye warned.
He noted that it was important for him to make the clarification owing to several misleading articles about certain instructions he said he had been passed to all members of the church.
“Let me make it loud and clear and please, I want you to listen with anointed ears and anointed hearts. Pastor Adeboye is not and will never be a politician. I have never been and will never be. That’s not my calling. My assignment has nothing to do with partisan politics” the cleric said.
Explaining further on the forthcoming elections, Pastor Adeboye, said he was yet to hear from God, contending that, 2023 is still a long time away and there are many problems bedevilling the country that need to be addressed first such as insecurity and economic matters.
“I have a lot of things now occupying my mind for which you, my partners must join me in prayers. One of them is Kaduna. You can’t go to Kaduna by road or by air or by train,” while he raised concerns that the country is gradually sliding towards bankruptcy.
“It is in the news that 80% of oil in Nigeria is stolen and taken out of the country. Who is stealing the oil?
“Who is buying the oil? Are you even sure that the people buying the oil have your interest? If these continue, we might be sliding to bankruptcy.”
