Dr. Paul Enenche, Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, has explained his reason for rejecting a ₦30 million donation from Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, during a recent crusade held in the state.
Speaking during a Sunday sermon at the church’s Abuja headquarters, Enenche said the decision reflects a long-standing policy one that strictly avoids government funding or influence in his ministry.
He said his choice had nothing to do with the governor personally but it’s part of a principle he has upheld for more than twenty years.
“For some people, that may be a surprise because they don’t know who we are. But those who know us, that’s no surprise at all. That’s how we’ve lived, and that’s what we’ve stood for,” he said.
To explain further, Enenche shared examples from his past; he recalled turning down honorariums after preaching at official events.
One notable example was in 2014, when he traveled to Jerusalem with then President Goodluck Jonathan and other state governors under the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board.
READ ALSO: Enenche Shuns ₦30m Cash Gift from Kebbi Gov, Says Church Won’t Take Public Funds
He said he funded his own travel and rejected the honorarium offered to him upon return.
“By the time we returned, the board chairman brought an offering and said this is their honorarium to me for going, I said no,” he said.
Enenche added that former President Jonathan visited his church multiple times while in office, yet no financial gift was ever exchanged.
“Government funds are not in this project, not one naira,” he said, referring to the Dunamis headquarters.
He also spoke of similar encounters. He turned down support from former Benue Governor Samuel Ortom and rejected a car offer from a childhood friend who later became a government minister.
His stance remains firm, avoiding anything tied to public funds so he can speak freely on national issues without feeling compromised.
“I don’t want to touch any dime of government money,” he said, stressing that his calling demands full independence from political influence.