The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG has urged its members worldwide to take more than a passive interest in the next year’s general election.
One of the biggest Pentecostal churches in Nigeria under the leadership of Pastor Enoch Adeboye said it was prepared to support any of its members that want to contest election.
The message was contained in a memo recently sent to all top pastors in the country. The church has now created a new directorate for politics, to be headed by Timothy Olaniyan, a Pastor in Charge of Province (PICP) Lagos Province 12, for effect.
The development comes in the back of suggestions that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, a pastor in the RCCG is planning to contest nest year’s presidential election.
Osinbajo has yet to make a categorical statement on whether he will run for the nation’s highest office or not, but Laolu Akande, his spokesman said on Wednesday that the vice president will soon make his intention public.
Akande said his principal is currently focused delivering his mandate as the nation’s number two citizen, and that’s “what he is focused on now; and like I have also said in my last tweet, whatever will be his activities or whatever he would do will be communicated officially,” he said.
According to a memo addressed to all regions, provinces, zones and other levels of the church, the mission said the directorate was established to help its members who are interested in contesting for political offices.
The church addressed the memo with reference number RCCG/AGO/ADM/AA.MEMO/20/01/2022, and dated February 28, through its Assistant General Overseer (Admin/Personnel) Pastor J. F. Odesola.
Part of the circular reads, “We write to formally notify you that the mission authority has created the Office of Directorate of Politics and Governance in the RCCG. Further to this, Pastor Timothy Olaniyan (PICP Lagos Province 12) has been appointed to lead the office.
“You are kindly requested to appoint with immediate effect a Provincial Officer for your province and also ensure that the same is done at all levels of the church – zone, area and parish. The essence of this directorate is to help coordinate the engagement of our people who are willing to be involved in politics as well as mobilize support for them when required.”
The mission has also directed its regions and provincial pastors to send the details of their nominated coordinators for the office to the Office of the Assistant General Overseer (Admin/Personnel) of the mission.
Meanwhile, keen watchers of politics insist that the leadership of the church may have decided pull its weight behind Vice President Osinbajo in case he chose to run for the nation’s highest office.
