Festus Keyamo (SAN), the minister of state for labour and employment and spokesman for the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign, has counselled pastors and other religious leaders to draw lessons from 2015 and refrain from endorsing specific candidates ahead of the general election in 2023.
Keyamo also urged the clergy to “face their core missions” in an exclusive conversation with our Abuja-based reporters.
He declared, “Having pastors support one candidate over another is excellent for the nation, but if that candidate loses, they will return to their original mission. They are making a mistake, but it is crucial that they continue to do so. They should have learned their lesson to keep the church distinct from
“Only God alone can give and dictate who he gives power to. God has not given them that mandate to choose who should rule over a nation. However, when you are trying to make that mistake, God will take back their mandate which is to win souls.
“They made a mistake, threw their act in the ring in 2015 and supported a candidate they lost, same in 2019, and now, they are doing that. I am a Christian, I grew up preaching from house to house and we were told they do not dabble in politics. Their duty is to lead people into the kingdom of God and not to (the Presidential) Villa. Villa is not heaven. God is allowing this to happen now because, after 2023, they would realise the mistakes they have made and that they have plunged the church into where they should not have.”
The senior counsel responded, “There is no persecution going on,” when challenged about the Muslim-Muslim ticket of his party and the allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria. The vice presidential candidate’s position cannot safeguard their interests if they are seeking to do so. The VP has complete deference to the President. If such were the case, why are they complaining about Buhari’s prosecution? There are three branches of government: the executive, legislative branch, and judicial branch.
“The only person that can check and start an impeachment move against the President is the Senate President. The VP cannot do that. If they think we want to Islamise the country, a claim which is not true, they should go and look for someone that will become the Senate President and do everything to ensure he emerges.
“They are not making that calculation now. The best calculation is to support the APC. We are likely to produce the majority in the Senate and negotiate how someone who will protect their interest will become the Senate President. That is what they should be doing and not the route they are taking.
