By Enitan I. Olukotun, Editor The Complete News
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E. A Adeboye yesterday frowned at the allegation leveled by the Director General of the General Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Council and the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi that some pastors in Nigeria have collected N6billion bribe from the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to be campaigning against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Adeboye who said he was disturbed by the allegation added that he hoped there were no shreds of truth in the allegation stressing that if the allegation was true the affected pastors should without further hesitation return the bride to the ruling party.
His words, “ I read in the papers today a very disturbing story that some pastors collected N6billion bribe for the purposes of manipulating election in the favour of someone. I sincerely hope that that is not true. Please with the permission of our fathers here, I will want him(Governor Rotimi Amaechi) to give the names of the pastors who allegedly collected the bribe. And if it happens that the allegation is true, anyone who received any money for the purposes of influencing elections should please return it now”.
The revered cleric gave this charge last night in Lagos at the opening ceremony of the 13th National Delegate Biennial Conference of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria holding in Lagos.
Adeboye warned of the dangers of merchandising anointing or engaging in acts that could drag the name of God into mud. According to him , such men of God could lose their high calling which he said could be very catastrophic.
“If you are collecting money from politicians to influence elections, what you are actually doing is that you are selling your anointing and perhaps even your calling. We don’t need to be reminding ourselves of what happened to Gehazi in the bible.So, if you have collected money to ‘bend’ election return the money and God will bless you”, Adeboye declared in the presence of eminent pastors and bishops who attended the conference.
Prominent Nigerian men of God in attendance include, Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church(Winners Chapel), Bishop Mike Okonkwo of TREM, Pastor Paul Adefarasin of House on the Rock, PFN President Felix Omobude, Rev Dr. Mercy Ezekiel among others.
It will be recalled Governor Amaechi at a APC Governorship rally in Emohua in Rivers State alleged some notable religious leaders had been circulating documents telling Nigerians that the APC and Buhari would islamise Nigeria if voted into power .
He accused the culpable men of God of commercializing the Christian faith urging them to return the alleged bribe.
“Some pastors collected N6bn and they are circulating document and telling you not to vote for an Hausa man; not to vote for a Muslim; that they want to Islamise Nigeria. Tell them to return our N6bn.
“They gave them N6bn; they should return it to the Federal Government coffers. They will tell you that Buhari wants to Islamise Nigeria; tell them we are too educated.
“I am a Catholic, but no Catholic priest has told me that story right now in the Catholic Church because, I will ask him how. If any pastor tells you that, tell him to return the money.
“Nobody can Islamise Nigeria; they have commercialised Jesus Christ. They should stop commercialising the Christian faith. You know what Jesus Christ did in the temple? He chased them away.
“We shall chase away those pastors who have collected money from the PDP to tell us lies. We shall chase them away on behalf of Christ”, Amaechi alleged.
