By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has advised the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Committee of FCT Imams Initiative, CFII, to be wary of ambitious politicians.
Wike gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja when the National President of CAN, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh led members of the Association on a courtesy visit to his office.
He advised the two religious bodies to be wary of ambitious politicians who are desperate for power and can do anything to divide the country for their selfish interests when the National President, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh and the committee of Imams led by the Chairman, Imam Tajudeen Adegun visited him in separate meetings in Abuja.
He emphasized the need for religious leaders to always ask questions before taking any action and urged the clerics to pray for the leadership of the country.
In a meeting on Wednesday with CAN,Wike said, “Let me advise all of us. You say you are not a politician, but be careful about politicians. Be careful with politicians who are so desperate to get power.”
“Be careful with politicians who can do anything just because of power. It is not everything you read in social media that is correct. Go and ask questions.”
“I am seated here as the minister of FCT, and if there is anything you hear that the FCT is trying to do, do not hesitate, just like you wrote for this courtesy call, do not hesitate to also ask, this thing I am hearing, is it correct?
“So that we will be able to defend the government and defend ourselves.”
“There are those who could not face us in the political scene, what they do is to run back to religious leaders and say, do you know this man?”
“He hates you. If not, he wouldn’t have done this; he would not have done that, and you would fall into the trap,” he warned.
He stated that once a leader emerges after an election, people should leave their personal view and pray for the leaders to succeed so that the country will succeed.
“God has voted a president for this country, pray for him to succeed. His decisions are being taken to address the wrong way things have been done. This is not the time to criticize, but to help Nigeria to grow.”
The minister used the occasion to reiterate the FCT Administration’s commitment to support the National Christian Center and the National Mosque, which are national assets.
The minister also promised to visit the two national monuments to see the state of the rehabilitation to determine the nature of assistance that would be directed to the two monuments.
He assured CAN, “We will continue to support the National Mosque and the National Christian Centre.”
The minister used the occasion to advise the CAN to be wary of politicians who were not lovers of the country, but angels of disunity and causing divisions where there was no division.
“You have to be careful as religious leaders, don’t allow politicians, those who are desperate and those who think if they are not in power, Nigeria must come down to sell or distort information.”
“Anything you are not clear about, do not hesitate to ask, this is what you heard, what is the position? But if you follow propaganda by political leaders, then you are not doing anything meaningful for yourself.”
“Politics is over; a president has emerged. It is for you the leaders to now pray for God to guide the president, give him the wisdom, and bring out ideas on how the nation will grow.”
“If he fails, Nigerians have failed,” he said.
He also pledged renewed partnership with the Association and to carry them along, particularly on issues that concerned them.
Earlier, Okoh said the CAN leadership was in his office to express their full support to the Wike-led administration and pray for him to succeed.
He reiterated CAN’s commitment to continue to engage stakeholders and promote social cohesion.
Meanwhile, the CAN President appealed to the minister to award the contract for the second phase of the rehabilitation of the center, adding that phase one had been concluded in May 2023.
Furthermore, the chairman of CFII, Adegun, described Wike as a true Nigerian, pledged the initiative’s support and prayed for the growth, development, and unity in FCT.
Daybreak reports that Wike had, on Oct. 18, pledged continued support for the maintenance and development of the Abuja National Mosque, when the Abuja National Mosque Management Board, led by its Chairman, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, visited him in Abuja.
