Christian leaders urge Buhari to expunge controversial FRC edict

Christian leaders urge Buhari to expunge controversial FRC edict

Wednesday, January 11, 2017 10:35 am


Pastor Enoch Adeboye

Pastor Enoch Adeboye

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Notable Christian leaders in Nigeria has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for sacking the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, FRCN, Mr Jim Osayande Obazee for implementing the controversial edit that was responsible for the exit of ,Pastor Enoch Adeboye as the General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church God, RCCG, in Nigeria.
The clergymen made this position known at a press conference held in Sword of the Spirit Ministries, at Olaogun, Ibadan.

Among the notable clergymen at the conference were: Presiding Bishop, Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, President, Aggressive Faith International Church, Port Harcourt, Pastor Micheal Amieye, The Overseer, Calvary Bible Church Worldwide, Pastor Olumide Emmanuel, President Maranatha Lord Cometh Ministry International, Bishop Samuel Olumakinde Alawode, Presiding Prophet, Gospel Promotion Outreach, CAC, Ori Oke Baba Abiye, Ede, Osun state, Prophet Funsho Akande, World Ablaze Mission International Triumphant Assembly Church International, Rev. Dr. Albert Oduwole, and Coordinator, Church of God Mission, Pastor GOC Nkem.
The group called on the government not to only suspend the controversial edict regulating the tenure of spiritual leaders in the country but expunge it completely so as not to fuel the embers of religious crisis adding that the government has no business in running the spirituality of the church.

They said that government should allow the church to run its spiritual affairs without interruption since all the churches and religious body have their own body of rules and constitution guiding their affairs.

Speaking, Bishop Oke said that the government has no business in regulating the spiritual affairs of the church but should be concerned with the business of providing good road networks, affordable healthcare service, qualitative education and such other electoral promises made to the people

Oke reasoned that even if the policy is to be implemented at all, it must also affect the Muslim community starting with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar who is the spiritual head and leader of the Muslim religion in the country.

The group further aver that the church is not a creation of the government and the appointment and selection of church spiritual leaders is a spiritual matter, as such the government cannot regulate on such appointments and matter.

The Bishop equally congratulated the President and the Armed Forces on the successful takeover of the dreaded Sambisa forest urging them not to relent until Shekau the leader of the Boko Haram sect is captured and the kidnapped Chibok school girls returned safely to the parents.

Declaring the edict as an anti-Christ move and an unfolding Islamic agenda, the cleric assures that if the government dare attempt to dictate spiritual things, the church will not obey nor go to court to challenge it but will wait for the government to imprison everybody.

He however assured that the church will not resolve to violence or fight but will use every power of fast, prayer and evangelism the Lord gave it to win the battle adding that, it is a battle the government will not win.

“We also commend the President for moving quickly to douse the fire on the controversial FRCN edict because it would have engulfed the whole nation. But government has not done enough. The edict should not be suspended but repelled and discarded totally. Government has no business to regulate the tenure of the spiritual leadership of the church. When God was calling them, government wasn’t there and they were not a creation of the government. There is no place in the world where government does such thing. We have no issue with government regulating church finances, but they don’t have any right to regulate the spiritual aspect of the church. If the policy is to be implemented in the church then, such must also be done with the Muslims starting with the Sultan of Sokoto, but thank God it has been suspended”.

According to him, “We want to congratulate government on the heroic defeat of Boko Haram and capture of Sambisa forest. Particularly, we congratulate our men of the Armed Forces for the bravery and gallantry. We urge President Muhammadu Buhari not to relent but make sure Shekau is captured, Boko Haram totally defeated and the Chibok girls returned safely to their parents.

While calling on Christians in the country to pray, fast and evangelise more to multiply the numbers of believers, Oke urged church members not to oppose their spiritual leaders like the government is trying to do but obey and respect the call of God on their lives.

Oke also joined his voice to the call on Christians not to be politically passive but rather, register with political parties at the grassroots adding that, at the appropriate time, the leaders of the church will give further directive on the next step of political action to be taken.


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