2023: Avoid creating impression body of Christ is at war with anybody, SDP’s Adebayo advises clerics

….Cautions Church leaders against being used by politicians.
….Charges clerics to pray for peaceful polls not predicting who becomes president

By Editor

The presidential candidate of Social Democratic Party, SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo has advised the Christian community in Nigeria to avoid creating impression that the next year’s general elections was a contest between the body of Christ and anybody.

Prince Adebayo, who spoke during the change of baton at the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, where the immediate past President, Reverend Samson Ayokunle, handed over to his successor, Most Reverend Daniel Okoh in Abuja, also cautioned Church leaders against being used by politicians.

The presidential hopeful charged Nigerians, especially the clerics, to pray for peaceful polls instead of predicting who becomes the President of Nigeria.

According to him, “The first role church should play is not to create a Christian versus anybody but to unite the country and to give a message that is ecumenical, not only among the Christians but among all the communities in Nigeria.

“And I reminded the CAN that the Priests, the Bishops, the Primate and their eminences are people who are called as instrument of God. This is the moment where politicians use anybody.

“They should not be used by anybody, except by the spirit of God. And that in this politics, they should not become instrument of men, they will remain instrument of God. And nobody will use them for politics.

“And that they should pray for the country and get us together. If the church is united in righteousness, and it is not against anybody and it is searching for God’s answer, for God’s guidance, to see the moment of rescue is coming for this country, God should lead us to the righteous one to lead this country, the church would have played a major role in bringing the country together.”

Explaining further on his message to the Church, Prince Adebayo said, “What I mean is that, first, it is good that the Christian community did their transition successful without rancours, without problem. And it has become example of what Nigeria can be.

“There are five blocs in Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN, but if you come today, you see all of them are happy together. And you will also see that almost of the smallest of them all, the youngest of them all is now the leader of CAN.

“And it is a biblical thing that when God does his things, it is not about noise, it is not about who is making the most noise. Everything about God is ordained.

“And I was reminding the Christian community that in this time of tribulation, one, we should not lose hope. We should know that it is a test of faith. And all the troubles that the Christians church and rest of Nigerians are going through are meant to test our faith and to answer with prayers.

“Secondly, that a Christian church is not only for Christians, and the unity of body of Christ is not to create a Christian community versus the rest of Nigeria but to create a unity for the country.

“And that the church is an inspiration for the whole of Nigeria. And that the mercy of God upon Nigeria include the presence of Christians in Nigeria.

“And that as we are looking for leadership, to rescue this country, and to being righteousness, we should remember what happened when the children of Israel, the army of Israel were facing Goliath in philistines. It was not the big generals, it was not the .mighty ones that God used to rescue them.

“It was a lowly David who they never knew until that day. So, they should pray and they should not follow prediction, they should allow the Lord minister to them so that within, the humble one may arise and bring righteous to the country. That was my message to the church.”