Pastor Adeboye clarifies position of RCCG on 2023 politics

03 Apr Pastor Adeboye clarifies position of RCCG on 2023 politics

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has clarified the church’s position on partisan politics following criticisms against the church’s creation of a Politics Directorate and the instruction to members to be politically involved in the 2023 electioneering process.

Speaking before his sermon this morning at the monthly Thanksgiving Service of the church, he explained that the objective of the directive is to get church members involved in voting because it is wrong for individuals to shun elections and later complain about the quality of leadership.

He said, “As a Nigerian, you have a duty to register, to vote and make sure your vote will count. You have a duty to belong to any party of your choice; you can’t refuse to vote and then complain about the government.”

Emphasizing that he calling is to be a pastor and not a politician, he said he does not even know if the 2023 elections would hold because God has not told him, and could therefore not be interested in who would win.

He said the church comprises members of different political parties, so it could not be biased towards any particular one, and he, in particular, does not support any presidential aspirant ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He said God spoke to him about the 2019 elections more than a year to the election but the case has not been so with the 2023 election.

He quickly added that God might still speak to him about the 2023 general elections but He has not spoken to him yet.

“As of now, as I am standing before you, I still don’t know whether or not there would be an election next year. Don’t say that Pastor Adeboye said there would be no election next year; that’s not what I said. Adeboye does not know yet, put the word ‘yet’.

“How come you don’t know? Because my father has not talked to me about it yet. The last time we had an election, He (God) spoke to me about the election by June of the previous year and this is April. So, it is not late but He hasn’t told me yet.”

He pleaded with people who are misconstruing the purpose of the church’s directorate on politics not to distract him because by his calling he is more concerned about pressing national issues like the attacks in Kaduna, where it is becoming difficult to travel to, crude oil theft, and the country’s debt burden.

The octogenarian thereafter threw a challenge to the congregation seated before him. Adeboye said, “He (God) must have told you – some of you who are prophets, you are closer to Him (God) but is there anyone of you here who can raise your hand to heaven and say without any doubt, there will be an election in 2023. If you can tell us, stand up and we will clap for a prophet.

“I don’t know yet. Remember to put the word ‘yet’,” he emphasised.

The 80-year-old cleric also said he and his partners are more concerned about praying for Nigeria to get out of its depressing throes than the 2023 elections.