Adebayo Adenrele
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has advocated for greater involvement of Christians in partisan politics, as a way of deepening democracy and development in the country.
Governor Oyebanji, who stated this on Tuesday in his office, in Ado Ekiti, when he received the General Overseer, of Foursquare Gospel Church, Rev’d Sam Aboyeji and his wife, Rev Olabisi Aboyeji, said more inclusive political landscape would lead to policies that better reflect the values and concerns for the people.
The Governor said a good number of Christians who can add value to the system would rather stay out of politics, because of their belief that politics is a dirty game, meant for a certain group of people.
Sadly, he said those who avoid politics are not immuned against the effect of bad policies.
Rather than see politics as a dirty game, Oyebanji said Christians should consider it as a viable opportunity to contribute to nation building, make positive impact on the society and promote the values aligned with God.
He opined that more Christians participation in politics would also provide moral leadership in politics, promoting honesty, integrity and ethical behavior among elected officials and be a voice for right decision-making and accountability in Governance.
While urging ministers of God and churches in general to play a pivotal role in inspiring and educating their congregation about the importance of civic participation, the Governor admonished the General Overseer not to relent in praying for more development in Ekiti State and the country in general.
In his words, “Most Christians don’t want to come near politics, but the Bible says when the righteous is in authority, the people rejoice. And to get to authority in Nigeria you have to be involved in politics and so when the bible says the righteous must be in authority, there must be a path to get to it and the only path we have now is through political office or appointment. So, we should continue to pray and encourage Christians to participate in politics”. The Governor stated.
Earlier, the General Overseer of Foursqare Gospel Church, Reverend Sam Aboyeji, who appreciated the Governor for receiving him and his team, despite his busy schedules, commended the Governor’s leadership style, saying he is representing God very well in Governance.
Rev Aboyeji explained that the visit was to intimate the Governor about the activities of the Church in Ekiti, especially the newly planted church and skills acquisition centre.
The General Overseer said an important aspect of his visit was to to pray and pronounce God’s blessings on the state, adding that God’s hands is upon the state as evident in the level of peace and development being enjoyed.
Also present at the meeting were Commissioner for Budget, Niyi Adebayo; Commissioner for Information, Rt Hon Taiwo Olatunbosun; and Special Adviser Media, Yinka Oyebode.
