Senator Godswill Akpabio, Sunday, blasted a clergyman who attacked his wife, Unoma for making political comments in Methodist Church Nigeria, Ukana Ikot Ntuen in Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
Unoma who spoke during the presentation of Sir Etekamba Umoren as the new Lay President of Methodist Church Nigeria, Essien Udim Diocese, canvassed support for re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and Nsima Ekere, All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate during the forthcoming general elections.
However, Most Rev. Sunday B. Uko, Archbishop of the church, Ikot Ekpene rose from his seat and stopped Unoma Akpabio from further making the political comments in the church, saying “You cannot use the church as a platform for political campaign. Many members of this church belong to different political parties. You cannot campaign in the church.”
Uncomfortable by what he saw as disrespect to his wife, Senator Akpabio apologised for the wife’s action in talking politics in the church, recalling “Anyone knowing that his wife had reached the land of dead and came back would know why she wants to give direction to the people.”
He, however, observed that “Without politics, there would be road to the church they were worshipping. Where we are sitting was produced by politics. My late uncle used to worship in this church but since the advent of politics, this area and even the church hss witnessed a lot of transformation.”
The Senator warned “Let the church steer clear from politics. Let the church and its members steer clear from dirty politics. Our APC governorship candidate, Nsima Ekere came here, yet the church did not recognise him. I want to tell you that he is the next governor of this state.”
“I want the church leaders to be circumspect in the way they run their churches and desist from dishing false prophecies to the congregation. Confusion in the society is attributed to false prophecies by some of these church leaders and pastors,” Akpabio remarked.
Annoucing a doantion of N5 million for the church project, he, therefore, appealed to men of God to desist from misleading the political office holders to enable them to deliver democracy dividends to the masses.
