The Assistant Pastor, Assemblies of God Church (AG), Rev. James Adekoya, on Tuesday admonished Nigerians to vote according to their conscience and stop pressurising politicians for money.
Adekoya gave the advice in his Christmas message to the nation during this year’s Christmas service held at the church in Garki, Area 11, Abuja.
The cleric said the call became imperative in view of the fact that some politicians siphoned public funds to induce their followers by what they considered as “generosity”.
“If you don’t pressurise political leaders for money, they will not steal, even when they steal, then you have the right to question them.
“But when they steal and bring to you, in law they say ‘aiding and abetting’, the one who eats and abets the crime is virtually a criminal.
“So, if we don’t aid them by asking them to do what they are not supposed to do, we cannot question them and query them on what they are doing that we know is not right,” he said.
According to him, stealing is not Biblical, is not Christian, it is unethical, and it is not customary.
“Our parents told us that they used to keep their crops and other things in the market and leave them; they only put stone there to tell the price.
“People come to buy, they pick and keep the money there, so, stealing is not even Nigerian but it emanated from our colonial masters,” he noted.
The cleric also urged Nigerian leaders to re-strategise toward bringing liberation, peace and joy to all citizens, advising that leaders have a stake to make Nigeria a better place.
“I want to challenge our leaders at all levels that we have a stake to make this country a better place.
“We must remove selfishness, because, if it were selfishness, Jesus Christ will not come to the world. The Christ has come to liberate and we must do everything within the little corner that we have to liberate other people.
“Father you are the head of the family, this is the time you should rethink, are you liberating your family? Some fathers don’t provide for the home except during Christmas or when it is time for celebration.
“In view of this, you are not a good daddy, you are not a good leader; you are not a good Christian. The same thing applies in every little area God has given as leaders,” he explained.
The priest underscored the need for every individual to bring about liberation, peace, joy and love to everybody around them not withstanding what others were doing.
“Just do it and leave God to judgment,” he said.
To Nigerians, he said: “The same way the Shepard received the message from the Angels in Luke chapter 2. We must likewise receive whatever the leaders are giving to the led.”
While reminding politicians that power comes from God alone, the cleric observed that nobody would be in position of authority if God has not ordained it.
The Bible, according to him, orders the faithful to pray for their leaders.
Besides, he reminded Nigerians that no matter what complaints they have, the leaders were already there and the only thing they needed was prayer.
“What you need to do is to pray. Yes, you need to advocate for right leadership, justice and peace to reign, yet, you need to pray for your leaders to succeed,” he stressed. (NAN)
