By Chinelo Obogo
Rev. Emmanuel Obimma known in the local parlance as Ebube-Muonso, is a Catholic Priest in the Archdiocese of Onitsha and the spiritual leader of Holy Ghost Adoration Ministries, Uke, Anambra State. He speaks on the need for the legislature to come up with laws that would criminalise the buying and selling of votes during elections.
Before the just concluded election, you said God revealed to you that Governor Obiano will win but will be rigged out. He eventually won, why was he not rigged out?
I am very happy at the outcome of the election and Anambrarians are also very happy. I predicted it and when the message came, I saw Obiano emerging the winner of the contest but I also saw the evil one trying to rig him out and because he stepped on the Adoration ground, we prayed against the evil intentions of the wicked ones.
I remembered what happened after the prophecy; people were calling me a fake prophet just because I said what the Holy Spirit revealed to me. I told him in confidence that he will win after praying for him and he eventually won to the glory of God. I did not campaign for anybody. I am just the mouth piece of God. I am a priest of God; I am neither a politician nor partisan. The Church of God and the party of God is my own party. Holy Spirit endows His prophet with gifts.
What is your charge to Obiano, having won the election?
He has seen that God and the masses love him as reflected in the election. It is now left for him to justify the votes by filling in the gap in areas he did not do well in the past three and half years. This is the time for him to re-strategize in order to make the people happy because he knows that some people are not happy with him but for me, he scored above average. He did well in the area of security and payment of workers salary and other areas. The Holy Spirit is warning him not to forget the poor masses. I also believe that he won the election because people are tired of imposition of candidates and god-fatherism in the state and that was why they gave him sympathy votes.
Do you have a word for Obi whose candidate Obaze lost out in the election?
Peter Obi did wonderfully well during his administration. In fact, he was the one that handed the baton over to Willie. We believe so much in his credibility. I expect him to congratulate Willie Obiano and let love continue to lead Anambra State. Willie should also find a way of extending a hand of fellowship and love to him.The international best practice is to congratulate or support whoever that emerges winner for peace and unity of the country or state. For me, all the candidates should come under one roof in thanksgiving to God. It is not easy to contest for an election and I thank them for their courage.
Obiano should put behind all the tantrums that were thrown at him during the election which were much. People called him names; a thief, a drunkard and so on, those things are hurting but Christ is our ideal. So, I want the governor to find a place in his heart to forgive them.
What is your assessment of the election?
I am very happy at the peaceful conduct of the election. You know in Anambra State, people claim to be omnipotent. Some people think they can buy things over with their money, but in this election, they were disappointed. I thank the federal government for providing enough security before, during and after the election. Security was tight. As you can see, some people thought that with their connections and political godfathers, they would win, but they were disappointed and that shows that God has the final say in anything one is doing.
The President of the country came and campaigned for his candidate which shouldn’t be because the president is supposed to be a father of the nation. He is not supposed to support one political party, but he came all the way from Abuja to endorse a candidate. Ever since he was elected the president of Nigeria, he has never visited Anambra State, except for the election. All the Federal roads were all abandoned, yet we have a president. All the benefits we were supposed to get from the federal government, most of them were denied us and we have a president. Those things are disheartening. And again, former president Goodluck Jonathan came to campaign for PDP candidate, Mr Oseloka Obaze too. Willie Obiano is the only candidate who has nobody but he has the people. Buhari endorsed Nwoye, Jonathan endorsed Obaze and God endorsed Willie.
Did you notice any lapses which you will advise INEC to work on?
I heard people were sharing money in order to influence people to vote for them. For me, that is electoral genocide. It shouldn’t be. How can you give people money to vote you? Such act will affect infrastructural development and dividends of democracy because he who pays for vote will surely recoup his money. It is pure business and the earlier we checkmate that, the better. I believe though that what happened in this election is an eye opener for people to realise that God sees all things. People boasted of all kind of things before the election and people of God went to prayer. In my own congregation, the Adoration family declared a fast and prayer for the success of the election and I know that our God is a God of justice. When you think you have power, God will mess you up. It happened to King Herod and Nebuchadnezzar where God reduced them to rubbles. Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like an animal while Herod was eaten up by worms. Nobody can play God. God is God no matter the circumstance.
I call on Christians to put their trust in the Lord and when God says yes, nobody can say no. The very first day Willie came to Adoration ground during his first tenure, I saw him and God revealed to me he is the next governor. That was my first day of seeing him and at that time, I was even praying for Chris Ngige before I got the divine signal.
And when he came for the second tenure, the same message came that he will win but people will try to rig him out, we prayed heavily against rigging and federal might, so they couldn’t rig their way in.