Democracy Day: Northern Pentecostal Bishops Rate Buhari Low, Demand Release Of Leah Sharibu, Others

Bishops of Pentecostal churches across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja on Monday gave a comprehensive assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the past three years with a verdict that the government has disappointed the millions of Nigerians that voted it in 2015.

The Bishops particularly condemned the killing of innocent Nigerians especially in the North Central part of the country, the kidnap of women and children as well as nepotism and selective prosecution of alleged treasury looters and demanded that the nation be governed in accordance with international best practices and rule of law.

Addressing a press as part of their Democracy Day conference activities in Abuja, the Chairman, Northern States Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Nigeria (NSPBFN) Archbishop John Praise Daniel who is the President, Dominion Chapel International Churches, in company of 14 other Bishops, stated that it was with regret that the Nigerian political leadership since the advent of the 4th Republic in 1999,

has failed to rise up to the occasion in salvaging the battered image and pride of Nigeria, adding that the current administration under President Muhammadu Buhari has worsened the situation because it decided to among other things apply several divisive tendencies like nepotism, abuse of power and flagrant disregard for rule of law.

Chairman, Northern States Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Nigeria, Archbishop John Praise Daniel and other Bishops from across the 19 Northern States and FCT, Abuja after addressing a World Press Conference to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day

“Indeed our gradual descent into the Hobbessian state of nature where might is right and violation of human rights becomes the norm rather than the exception, thereby rendering life “nasty, brutish and short,” elicits great concern and calls for urgent remedial actions.

“Our Forum therefore considers it a patriotic duty to be in the vanguard of crusading for national rebirth with genuine fear of God and promotion of justice and equity in our nation.

It is time to make our democracy truly a government of the people, by the people and for the people” with deliberate efforts towards creating a healthy space for the actualisation of legitimate aspirations. In this regards, we wish to humbly put forward a few suggestions to revert the chaotic order that has prevailed in Nigeria’s socio economic and political spheres in recent year,” the Bishops said.

The Forum therefore called for decisive action against some of the problems it identified, adding that doing otherwise may spell political doom for the administration.

“First, the spate of deadly attacks by armed herdsmen in the various communities nationwide, particularly the North Central geo political zone, resulting in massive loss of lives and properties need to be decisively dealt with by the government, in line with its constitutional responsibilities, which must not be abdicated.

Mindless attacks on places of worship and killing of defenceless Christians in Nigeria are unacceptable and must stop forthwith, as there will be dire electoral for the disturbing silence and inaction by this administration. Indeed, the ugly development portends grave danger for our national unity, food production capabilities and overall development.”

Among other issues raised by the Forum include the need to urgently rescue Leah Sharibu and the remaining Chibok girls in Boko Haram captivity, the prosecution of the war against corruption in a balanced and robust manner rather than selective as the case stands today, transparency and accountability in the management of the nation’s resources

and deployment of more resources in infrastructural development like power and roads while calling for free and fair election first on the coming Ekiti governorship and the 2019 general elections.

“Finally, government should work with relevant stakeholders to make the upcoming 2019 general elections, to be preceded by the Ekiti governorship election on 14th July, 2018 free, fair and credible, without rancour and bloodletting. After all, no one’s political ambition is worth the blood of any citizen,” Bishop John Praise Daniel concluded.

Other Bishops who attended the conference are Henry Ikechukwu of Blessed Chapel International, Samson Jhadi Wakili Power, Dr. Timothy Kume of Faith Hill Prophetic Assembly Markurdi, Deborah Adesanya of Prophetic Power Minisrty, Augustine Natti of All Nations Evangelism Ministries Makurdi, David Shekwolo of Kingdom Church of God Minna, Knatuubwa Amos Tolal of All Saints for Christ Chapel Abuja,

Dr. Joseph Onyemaechi of Calvary Life Ministries Kaduna, Dr. Peter Olorunsola of the Apostles Ministries Fellowship Kaduna, V.N Prosper of New Testament Victorious Church, Tinuoye A. I of Pentecostal Bishops Forum Kaduna State, Timothy Heights Chayinwegba of Steps of Christ Ministries, Sylvanus Ofili of Christian Liberation International Churches and Samuel Ocheja of Green Pastures Assembly, Abuja.