The Church in Nigeria has been advised by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to exercise caution and not allow itself to be manipulated by power-hungry politicians in the general elections of 2023.
The governor made this statement on Sunday during the Rivers Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dedication Service for the 2023 Election Campaigns at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Diobu-Port Harcourt.
Wike urged the Church in Nigeria to “shine its eyes,” a phrase used to indicate that one should be aware of current events and avoid being excessively drawn into political intrigues.
“All of us should participate in the politics of Nigeria but the church must not be used as if we are fighting a religious war.
“We have to be careful so that the church is not destroyed,” the governor said.
Wike argued that just as the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket is bad for democracy, it is also unacceptable for the PDP’s Atiku Abubakar to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, who was born in Katsina, in 2023.
“We cannot hand over govt to unserious people,” Wike said, adding that political parties must pay to use any public facility in Rivers.