By Gbenga Osinaike
The Lagos Chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has said it would not allow and encourage any political party to use it to score political gains in the 2019 elections.
The body made this known at a well attended press conference in Lagos on Tuesday October 16 addressed by the Chairman of the body, Bishop Sola Ore..
Ore said at the conference which held at the Agape Generation International Church Maryland , Lagos that the PFN has resolved not to allow itself to be used noting that ‘Politicians feel that Christians could be used and dumped at will and that it is only at election periods that they are found relevant’
He then noted that the Christian community has the numerical strength to determine the electoral fortunes of political parties and their candidates in any election.’
He said over 70 percent of Christians in Lagos now have their PVC adding that the body has the capacity to determine where the pendulum swings in the 2019 elections.
While noting that it is God who determines who governs a people, he said, ‘ the church will be ready to encourage and provide support for any political party that is ready to recognise the critical role of the church in the state.’
He however explained that ‘as a church we are not political jobbers or interlopers. We are only out to ensure that politicians and their parties operate with the fear of God in ensuring equity and Justice.’
On the involvement of the church in 2019 he said that the church is ready to ‘provide a level playing field for all political parties during their campaigns which should be issue based devoid of rancour, character assassination and violence. In doing this we will be guided by manifestos of each political party viz a viz its implementation and advise our members accordingly on the direction of the church’
The PFN chairman disclosed further that the body has directed it’s directorate of Social Security Outreach and Inter-Governmental Relations ‘to ensure adequate political and voter education for our teeming members across all the 20 local governments and 37 LCDAS. The Directorate shall also ensure that our members are not politically disadvantaged or unduly taken advantage of by politicians at this critical electoral stage in Lagos State.’
He seized the opportunity of the conference to call on President Mohammad Buhari to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu and other people who are currently being held in the custody of Boko Haram.