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•Says INEC should take over political parties’ primaries
• ‘Someone should tell me one thing VP Osinbajo has done for the Body of Christ that we should be proud of’
Bishop Emmah Isong is the President of the Central Christian Chapel with headquarters in Calabar and also the National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria. In this interview, he speaks on some issues of national importance.
What do you say to Nigerians now that candidates of political parties have emerged for the 2019 elections?
As you know, I do not speak for any political party; I only speak for the people when God directs me to speak. I come from the village and if I do have an opportunity to speak, l speak for the poor; eternity would not forgive me if I take sides with the rich and nobody is rich enough to make me speak for him. And as the National Publicity Secretary of the PFN, I have a national platform to speak for the people all over the country.
For the past 16 years, almost ninety percent of what I prophesied came to pass. Most of what l prophesied ahead of 2018 are coming to pass. And I am saying ahead of 2019 that we will get the results that will shock Nigerians in the elections.
The elections will count. People may say some party men have already written the results, but I say no, go and register to vote and use your PVC. Forget Osun and Ekiti elections and what took place there. Those things are in court but, in 2019, people should get their PVCs because many people will use their PVCs to show their anger. PVC will become like AK 47. Very soon the elections will come and we will have the shocker of our lives.
What is the PFN doing at the national level ahead of the elections?
What the PFN is saying is very clear: People should get their PVCs and vote in or vote out any government they like or don’t like. Christians should not be docile and should pray that God would raise a President who will stop the wanton killings of Christians. We want the killings to stop. Also, the manipulation of our faith should stop.
Parties’ primaries were characterised by crises. How do you see what took place?
All the political parties in Nigeria lack internal democracy, be it PDP or APC, to the extent that the wife of the President raised her voice. For example, I lodged in a hotel in Uyo and, as I went out to return to Calabar, within the vicinity of the hotel, there were so many people with red eyes.
There were gun shots everywhere and the place was barricaded and I rushed back inside and, when I asked what was going on, I was told that those shooting were thugs that just came from the venue of a primary election and that somebody, who had defected from one party to the other, was in one of the hotel rooms writing the names of candidates for next elections, that was October 5.
He was writing the names of people he wanted to be candidates of his new party to contest election and those he defected to join were resisting him, saying, before he came, they were there; so they must stop him. In my opinion, INEC should take over the nomination of candidates for elections from the level of party.
Imagine in Lagos, we were told there was no primary and, suddenly, Clement Ebri, who said there was no primary, the next day, Ebri, one of the most honourable persons from Cross River, came out to recant want he said that there was a primary and a winner had emerged and I wept for this country. If Ebri can wake up and say the next day that there was a primary, my country, my children and children’s children are in trouble because there is no future in a country like this.
If the foundation be destroyed, how will the building stand? We have already got it wrong at the party level. The people that you and I will go to vote are the people the party throws up and, already, the PDP is the worst of the parties and APC has got it wrong. Imagine, in over 20 states, APC has two or more candidates for governorship and other positions, prompting the wife of the President to cry out and say, ‘Oshiomhole, you have been a labour leader, human rights activist, why is this happening under your watch?’ I am telling you, I saw people in a hotel room writing the results of an election that did not take place. Somebody should rebuke me now if I am not saying the truth.
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President and a pastor of the Pentecostal hue, are you satisfied with his performance?
Before he became the Vice President, I watched him on television when he had a programme in Owerri and I marvelled at his level of intelligence and I felt his university should be proud of him and his mother should be proud she has such a son. I was one of the most excited persons when he was announced the VP but, since he assumed office, somebody should tell me one thing that Professor Osinbajo has done for the Body of Christ that we should be proud of.
I thought Christianity had provided the best for this country in the person of Osinbajo but I am sorry to say that his continuous ‘siddon look’, his humility and submission to a so-called cabal and government that is insensitive to the killing of Christians, destruction of churches and operations does not excite anybody. He will wake up one morning and tell pastors they are corrupt, they should go and change their preaching. It is unbelievable what I am hearing from the man we had so much hope in.
What do you say about the attitude of the political class to the people they represent?
The Nigerian political class has continued to wreak havoc, rape and dupe the electorate. The government we have is an insensitive and non-performing one. Have you been to the Calabar – Itu Road of recent? Anybody who wants to rule this country should travel through the Calabar Itu Road and see the death trap first hand and thereafter tell us whether we should still vote for him – how do explain the state of the road? Goodluck Jonathan, as a Niger Deltan President, could not even work on the roads in the region including the East – West Road.
The problem with the political class is that after election, they have no plan to better the lives of the people and the people are taken for a ride and impoverished the more. That is why in political campaigns, the people you see there are thugs and rented crowds. Check from the beginning, from Godswill Akpabio in Akwa Ibom to Udom Emmanuel’s declaration and Ayade in Cross River, you see the same faces.
They hire students from campuses, villages, communities and organisations to attend their rallies. Let the electorate know that they are selling their birthright. They should know their vote is the future of their families. Let them know that selling their freedom is injurious to their rights and privileges; nobody can get better with the money he gets from such action.
What should be done to make the difference?
The solution to the situation is for the people to organise themselves into pressure groups and say anyone who wants to rule should come and sign a resolution before voting. And if such person breaches the agreement, we fire him. Such a person would sit up and others following will learn a lesson. (Vanguard)
• ‘Someone should tell me one thing VP Osinbajo has done for the Body of Christ that we should be proud of’
Bishop Emmah Isong is the President of the Central Christian Chapel with headquarters in Calabar and also the National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria. In this interview, he speaks on some issues of national importance.
What do you say to Nigerians now that candidates of political parties have emerged for the 2019 elections?
As you know, I do not speak for any political party; I only speak for the people when God directs me to speak. I come from the village and if I do have an opportunity to speak, l speak for the poor; eternity would not forgive me if I take sides with the rich and nobody is rich enough to make me speak for him. And as the National Publicity Secretary of the PFN, I have a national platform to speak for the people all over the country.
For the past 16 years, almost ninety percent of what I prophesied came to pass. Most of what l prophesied ahead of 2018 are coming to pass. And I am saying ahead of 2019 that we will get the results that will shock Nigerians in the elections.
The elections will count. People may say some party men have already written the results, but I say no, go and register to vote and use your PVC. Forget Osun and Ekiti elections and what took place there. Those things are in court but, in 2019, people should get their PVCs because many people will use their PVCs to show their anger. PVC will become like AK 47. Very soon the elections will come and we will have the shocker of our lives.
What is the PFN doing at the national level ahead of the elections?
What the PFN is saying is very clear: People should get their PVCs and vote in or vote out any government they like or don’t like. Christians should not be docile and should pray that God would raise a President who will stop the wanton killings of Christians. We want the killings to stop. Also, the manipulation of our faith should stop.
Parties’ primaries were characterised by crises. How do you see what took place?
All the political parties in Nigeria lack internal democracy, be it PDP or APC, to the extent that the wife of the President raised her voice. For example, I lodged in a hotel in Uyo and, as I went out to return to Calabar, within the vicinity of the hotel, there were so many people with red eyes.
There were gun shots everywhere and the place was barricaded and I rushed back inside and, when I asked what was going on, I was told that those shooting were thugs that just came from the venue of a primary election and that somebody, who had defected from one party to the other, was in one of the hotel rooms writing the names of candidates for next elections, that was October 5.
He was writing the names of people he wanted to be candidates of his new party to contest election and those he defected to join were resisting him, saying, before he came, they were there; so they must stop him. In my opinion, INEC should take over the nomination of candidates for elections from the level of party.
Imagine in Lagos, we were told there was no primary and, suddenly, Clement Ebri, who said there was no primary, the next day, Ebri, one of the most honourable persons from Cross River, came out to recant want he said that there was a primary and a winner had emerged and I wept for this country. If Ebri can wake up and say the next day that there was a primary, my country, my children and children’s children are in trouble because there is no future in a country like this.
If the foundation be destroyed, how will the building stand? We have already got it wrong at the party level. The people that you and I will go to vote are the people the party throws up and, already, the PDP is the worst of the parties and APC has got it wrong. Imagine, in over 20 states, APC has two or more candidates for governorship and other positions, prompting the wife of the President to cry out and say, ‘Oshiomhole, you have been a labour leader, human rights activist, why is this happening under your watch?’ I am telling you, I saw people in a hotel room writing the results of an election that did not take place. Somebody should rebuke me now if I am not saying the truth.
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President and a pastor of the Pentecostal hue, are you satisfied with his performance?
Before he became the Vice President, I watched him on television when he had a programme in Owerri and I marvelled at his level of intelligence and I felt his university should be proud of him and his mother should be proud she has such a son. I was one of the most excited persons when he was announced the VP but, since he assumed office, somebody should tell me one thing that Professor Osinbajo has done for the Body of Christ that we should be proud of.
I thought Christianity had provided the best for this country in the person of Osinbajo but I am sorry to say that his continuous ‘siddon look’, his humility and submission to a so-called cabal and government that is insensitive to the killing of Christians, destruction of churches and operations does not excite anybody. He will wake up one morning and tell pastors they are corrupt, they should go and change their preaching. It is unbelievable what I am hearing from the man we had so much hope in.
What do you say about the attitude of the political class to the people they represent?
The Nigerian political class has continued to wreak havoc, rape and dupe the electorate. The government we have is an insensitive and non-performing one. Have you been to the Calabar – Itu Road of recent? Anybody who wants to rule this country should travel through the Calabar Itu Road and see the death trap first hand and thereafter tell us whether we should still vote for him – how do explain the state of the road? Goodluck Jonathan, as a Niger Deltan President, could not even work on the roads in the region including the East – West Road.
The problem with the political class is that after election, they have no plan to better the lives of the people and the people are taken for a ride and impoverished the more. That is why in political campaigns, the people you see there are thugs and rented crowds. Check from the beginning, from Godswill Akpabio in Akwa Ibom to Udom Emmanuel’s declaration and Ayade in Cross River, you see the same faces.
They hire students from campuses, villages, communities and organisations to attend their rallies. Let the electorate know that they are selling their birthright. They should know their vote is the future of their families. Let them know that selling their freedom is injurious to their rights and privileges; nobody can get better with the money he gets from such action.
What should be done to make the difference?
The solution to the situation is for the people to organise themselves into pressure groups and say anyone who wants to rule should come and sign a resolution before voting. And if such person breaches the agreement, we fire him. Such a person would sit up and others following will learn a lesson. (Vanguard)
