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…Tells Tinubu ‘Nigerians are in pains’
From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The leadership of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Thursday appealed to Nigerians to accept the pending verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on the outcome of the February 25, 2023 presidential poll in the country.
The five-member PEPC under the leadership of Justice Haruna Tsammani has reserved judgment in the petitions filed by the 2023 presidential candidates of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared President Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the poll, while Atiku and Obi came second and third respectively.
Bishop Wale Oke, who is the National President of PFN, made the appeal at a press conference he addressed with the support of other leaders of the spiritual body at the end of the fellowship’s three-day National Executive Retreat 2023, with the theme: ‘Going from Strength to Strength’, drawn from Psalm 84:7, held at Waniq Event Centre, Jericho, Ibadan.
The press conference was attended by leaders, including National Secretary of PFN, Dr. Cosmas Ilechukwu; chairman of PFN in Bayelsa State, Bishop Prosper Ayawei, and his counterpart from Oyo State, Rev’d Samson Ajetomobi; and the Director of PFN in the Diaspora and Humanitarian Matters, Bishop Goddy Okafor.
Oke, who is the President, Sword of the Spirit Ministries, also told Tinubu and his cabinet that Nigerians are in pains, adding that the administration must do everything possible to ease off the menace, irrespective of religious, tribal, and political affiliations.
His words: “Nigeria has just done a general election that almost break the nation into pieces. It was a keenly fought election. The results of the election is before the tribunal now. So, we do not want to comment much on it. So, let the tribunal finish their work, and render their verdict to the nation. We are praying that God will guide them in their verdict.
“We want to enjoin all Nigerians to please accept the verdict of the tribunal, and let us move on with the rebuilding of our nation. We should come together in unity and let the healing begin because the politics of the past few months inflicted much wounds on the various sectors of our nation.
“We cannot be doing politicking forever, and we should learn a lesson from Sudan. Thirty years ago, Sudan had an election that led to war. The war went on and led to splitting of the nation. In Sudan, they are still fighting till today. We cannot afford war in Nigeria. We don’t want war in Nigeria. So, when the tribunal renders their verdict, let everybody bury their hatchets and join hands together to build Nigeria. If you do that, there will be a situation that another election will come. Then, the people that lost now, can be the winners tomorrow, if there is a nation.”
Oke warned that if Nigerians smouldered one another over the the tribunal’s verdict, “there will be war and there won’t be room for election. So, let us accept whatever the tribunal will render. Let us go ahead and build a new Nigeria.”
The PFN National President also noted that on Wednesday evening, it was in the news that “President Bola Tinubu has assigned portfolios to his ministers designates, 46 of them. We want to enjoin the president, and his team that will form his cabinet, we have a counsel for you, Nigerians are in pains.
“The last eight years of the nation has been very traumatic to Nigerians. There have been kidnapping, banditry, clashes between farmers and herdsmen and so on. There have been all manners of evil, plus very terrible corruption. Then, we have economic woes … Nigerians are battling with so much. Mr. President and the ministers, please, relieve Nigerians of their pains, don’t add to it,” saying the administration should be conscious of the fact that Nigerians sufferred a lot under the immediate past government in the country.
“So, let us apply a balm. Let us apply olive oil. Let’s relieve Nigerians of their pains. Look at the various strata of our country, such as insecurity, terrible economy, awful corruption, and so on, please provide solutions to them, and relieve Nigerians of their pains.
“Mr. President and the new cabinet, Nigerians are fighting personal wars and economic wars for survival. Please, Mr. President and the new cabinet, fight their wars, don’t fight against them. Don’t go to war against Nigerians. Whether they voted for you, or they didn’t vote for you, fight their battles. You are now the father of all.
“Now, politicking is over, governance should begin. Let’s bring everybody together. They are fighting wars on how to survive. Please, identify their wars and fight for them. Don’t make any group of people your target as your enemies, whether based on tribe, religion, or different ideologies. Bring everybody together. If you treat people well, they will serve you forever. We are praying for you that God will make you succeed.”
Oke also has words for all Nigerians, assuring them that “better days are ahead. God is still on the throne, don’t give up. There is hope for our future. The fact that we are alive means there is hope. Let us stay together as one nation. The fact that we are not in the state of active war, means there is hope. So, let us join our hands together and heal our nation. Let us agree and move forward. If there is a nation, a future lies ahead of us. Election will come and go; those who lost yesterday, can win tomorrow.”
