The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Edo Region 13 headquarters (Trinity Sanctuary) in Benin City, Edo State has literally been converted to the campaign office of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the September 10 governorship election in the State.
Banners of the PDP and its candidate adorn all the walls of the church.
It is only the altar is spared.
Sources said the Regional Pastor of the Church in Edo State, Pastor James Dagunduro, and other ministers in the RCCG who should preach Christ and convert sinners now preach Ize-Iyamu on the altar.
Dagunduro, it was learnt, has given instructions to parish pastors to canvass for Ize-Iyamu in their parishes, a situation which is causing ripples in the church.
Two campaign jingles of Ize-Iyamu were repeatedly played in the teenage Church of Trinity Sanctuary on August 21, with no other message was preached to the teenagers.
A Minister in the Church (names withheld), who complained that the church was being turned into a political arena, was reprimanded and shut down.
A member of the congregation, who lamented the sudden development in the church, told this reporter that a Minister who dared to voice his objection to the development has been transferred.
It was learnt that Provincial Pastors in the church now hold meetings on the Ize-Iyamu project against the interest of their parishioners who are not in support of the PDP and its candidate.
Many parishioners and members of other parties who cannot stand the new development are leaving the church in droves as they see it as a strange doctrine in the church.
Many see the Ize-Iyamu project as an extension of the failed Government of former Lucky Igbinedion, who was accused of running the state aground between 1999 and 2007.
It would be recalled that Ize-Iyamu, who is a Zonal Pastor in the Church, had confessed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of having collected N700 million from the arms money allegedly shared by a former National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, and shared among his party chieftains.
The church has yet to condemn this development.
Recall that for the presidential election of 2015, the General Overseer of the Church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, did not openly canvass for President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osibajo in spite of the fact that Prof. Osibajo is a Senior Pastor in the RCCG.
Osibajo ministers at the Holy Ghost Services and Conventions of the Church.
Aggrieved members of the Church in Edo State have sought the intervention of Adeboye, who is known to be very strict with workers in the Church, to wade in before things go completely out of hand.
Trending
- Traditional ruler shot dead inside palace
- Primate Ayodele to Yoruba Nation agitators: You can’t break Nigeria
- Police intercept bags of Indian Hemp at Lagos jetty
- Enugu, families to give Ibu, Junior Pope befitting burial
- Police arrest suspects for attempting to disrupt inauguration of commissioners
- Police rescue three children locked up by grandmother + Photo
- Police foil attack in Katsina, neutralise suspected bandit
- US vetoes Palestine’s request for full UN membership