The Prelate-Elect of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Oliver Abah, has charged Nigerian Christians to fully participate in partisan politics.
The bishop stated this when the All Progressives Congress, APC, 2023 senatorial candidate for Benue South, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, paid a congratulatory visit to him in Otukpo, Benue State on Tuesday.
Onjeh and his team were received by Archbishop Abah, in the company of other eminent Bishops of the Methodist Church of Nigeria.
Speaking at the occasion, Onjeh said he received the news of Archbishop Abah’s emergence as the Prelate-Elect of the Methodist Church of Nigeria with great delight.
The APC candidate also congratulated Rt. Rev. Joshua Ngbede, the Bishop of Apa Methodist Church who was present at the occasion, on his election as the Archbishop-Elect, Archdiocese of Benue, Methodist Church of Nigeria, the position being vacated by Archbishop Abah.
He stated that Archbishop Abah’s ascension to the high ecclesiastical office – being the first Northerner to attain that height – was a source of great pride and inspiration to the entire good people of Benue South and all Methodists in Nigeria.
He also noted that the entire people of Benue South and Ogbadibo in particular, where both he and the Archbishop hailed from, were proud of the clergyman and hoped that he would be steadfast in his prayers of intercession for the peace, progress and development of Benue South and of the entire nation.
Reacting, Archbishop Oliver Abah thanked Com. Onjeh and his team for the visit and expressed gratitude to God for the preservation of life; noting that the purpose of human existence was encapsulated in Matthew 5:16 thus, “Let your light so shine before men, that men may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Archbishop Abah stated that two additional dioceses of the Methodists Church were recently created for the Benue South axis in Agatu and Okpokwu respectively, bringing the total number of Methodist Dioceses in Idoma land to six.
He added that the church was expanding its dioceses to bring the Government of the church closer to the grassroots and to reduce the security risks that people were exposed to, in their quest to serve God.
The Prelate-Elect admitted that although he was not a partisan politician, he had closely followed Com. Onjeh’s political journey; and had always had sympathy for his cause, noting that Christians had a popular notion that politics was a dirty game; hence, some believers prefer to distance themselves from it. Archbishop Abah stated, however, that if politics was dirty, the more reason the children of God should get involved in it to clean it up.
Archbishop Abah described Com. Onjeh as a credible politician, adding that he desires credible individuals that would deliver the dividends of democracy to take up public office, as that was the only way the people could feel the impact of government.
The Archbishop further advised that just like Moses of old, who led the children of Israel out of Egypt, Com. Onjeh should always run to God in the pursuit of his political career rather than running to men, as God would surely settle anyone who diligently runs to Him for help.
The highpoint of the visit was the shower of blessings and prayers on Comrade Onjeh and his team, by Archbishop Abah. It was a spectacular moment because while Onjeh squatted to his knees, the Prelate-Elect accorded him the rare privilege of holding onto the end of his Crosier, which he described as the symbol of leadership in the Methodist Church, as he blessed him and prayed that God should remove every hurdle on the path of his political ambition.
The Archbishop added that if water could come out of a rock for the children of God to drink while they were going through the wilderness, then Onjeh would always receive favour wherever he went, in the course of his political career. The Archbishop prayed for the peace and favour of God to be with Com. Onjeh and his team, and for the success of his current political ambition.
