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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has urged Christians across the country to move beyond passive participation in elections and become actively involved in the political process ahead of the 2027 polls.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Oke said the era when they merely voted and complained about governance outcomes should end, stressing that meaningful political change requires all citizens to participate from the grassroots.
“Go and get your voter’s card very urgently,” he said. “If you don’t vote, don’t complain about who emerges.”
The cleric stressed that beyond voting, Christians must also step into the political arena to influence leadership and policy decisions.
“The time has come for Christians to get involved in politics,” he declared. “Don’t just vote, get involved from the grassroots. If good people don’t get involved, you cannot clean it up.”
The PFN president emphasised the need to restore public confidence in the electoral process. He declared that “no election is worth the blood of a single Nigerian,” adding that it “should not be do-or-die. Let’s campaign and persuade the people. If they vote for you, fine. If they don’t, fine.”
He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to remain neutral and ensure a level playing field for all political parties.
“INEC must be totally neutral and non-partisan,” he said. “Don’t favour the ruling party. Don’t favour the opposition. Create a level playing field.”
He expressed support for the electronic transmission of election results, saying it would reduce manipulation and increase trust in the system, while warning that any process that undermines public confidence could threaten Nigeria’s democracy.
“Our elections should not only be free and fair, they must be seen to be free and fair,” he said.
“Whatever makes Nigerians doubt the credibility of an election is dangerous.”
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He commended the leadership of the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives for providing the recently dedicated chapel at the National Assembly, urging them to see it as a place where lawmakers could seek spiritual guidance in the course of their duties.
“I want to commend the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives for thinking of putting up a chapel where they can pray and listen to the Word of God. It is very commendable.”
The PFN president also praised senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her role in supporting the project. “I want to commend the First Lady who contributed hugely to the success of the building of that chapel,” he said. “May God continue to bless her, may God continue to bless the President, and may God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
While addressing issues around governance, Oke reminded lawmakers that Nigerians expect them to enact laws that reflect justice and equity.
“Nigerians are looking up to you to make laws that are just, equitable, and that represent the interests of the Nigerian people,” he said.
He lamented the contradiction between Nigeria’s deep religiosity and the persistent violence across the country.
“Nigeria is very religious; Muslims, Christians and others, but there is a difference between religion and God-realisation. We should stop killing ourselves. We should stop banditry. We should stop kidnapping.”
He urged members of the National Assembly to support ongoing efforts to establish state police as part of the broader strategy to combat insecurity, saying localised policing would allow security agencies to respond more effectively to threats.
“Every state should be governed by people who understand the terrain and can respond quickly to the menace of terrorists and kidnappers,” he said.
However, Oke warned that creating state police structures alone would not solve the problem unless officers are properly equipped and motivated.
“Signing the law is not sufficient,” he said. “The police should be properly paid and properly equipped. “It should not be a situation where they carry old weapons while criminals carry sophisticated weapons.”
