2023: Noise Over RCCG Political Unit Ploy to Split Christians, Says Akinnola
- Reactions continue to trail the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s decision to set up a Directorate of Governance and Politics
- Respected journalist, Richard Akinnola, believes the criticism of the church is just a mischievous move by political actors to split the body of Christ
- Akinnola urged the megachurch to ignore the naysayers and carry out its plans for the sake of posterity
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Lagos - As reactions continue to trail the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s (RCCG) decision to set up a Directorate of Governance and Politics, Nigerian journalist, author, lawyer, and activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola, believes the criticism of the church is just a mischievous move by political actors to split the body of Christ.
Akinnola, a former editor of the Vanguard newspaper and executive director of the Centre for Free Speech Organisation, barred his mind in a post on social media which elicited similar reactions from other persons on the platform, many urging the church to carry on with its decision.
Source: Twitter
His words:
“I believe this red herring in respect of this move by the RCCG is just a mischievous move by a political camp to cause division within the body of Christ.
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“Reechoing a well-known fact already established by Nigerians in other comments about the subject, Akinnola said:
“In the run up to the 2015 election, Osinbajo was the running mate to Buhari but to the best of my knowledge, Pastor E.A. Adeboye did not at any time come out to ask members of his church to vote for Osinbajo, who is a senior pastor in the church.
“Rather, you would all recall that pastor Adeboye actually prayed for the then-president Goodluck Jonathan, who had come to him for his blessings, right in the presence of Osinbajo.”
The veteran journalist explained further:
“I’m aware that politicians of different parties attend the RCCG. Governor Ortom of Benue state and Governor Diri of Bayelsa state (both of PDP) attend the RCCG.
“So, it is disingenuous for anyone to suggest that the memo of the RCCG on politics was targeted at garnering support for the presidential ambition of Vice President Osinbajo, a clarification which the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had made.”
RCCG new directorate on politics based on our instruction, says PFN
Recall that the PFN had stated that the setting up of the directorate of politics and governance in the RCCG is based on its directive to pentecostal churches in Nigeria.
In a statement sent to Legit.ng by Kolade Segun-Okeowo, PFN's deputy-director, Directorate of Politics and Governance, the association noted that the reaction of journalist and politician, Dele Momodu to the move is out of jitter.
He further said Momodu's suggestion that religion and politics be separated is not tenable and unacceptable.
RCCG clarifies role of its politics and governance directorate
Legit.ng had earlier reported that the RCCG clarified the role its new directorate, politics, and governance, will be playing in the ministry.
In a statement sent to journalists on Sunday, March 13, Pastor Johnson F Odesola, RCCG assistant General Overseer (admin & personnel), stated that some of the reactions on the issue have been borne out of ignorance.
He reiterated that the new directorate's role is to:
“Help coordinate the engagement of our people who are willing to be involved in politics as well as mobilise support for them.”
Source: Legit.ng
