A Nigerian pastor has sparked debate online after declaring that the country’s problems are not due to a lack of potential but because governance remains in the hands of “wicked, selfish and greedy people.”
In a viral video circulating on social media, the cleric argued that many of Nigeria’s leaders attained power through questionable means and should not be expected to prioritise the welfare of citizens.
‘You don’t expect a thief not to steal’
The pastor said: “It’s not that Nigeria cannot work, it’s just that governance is in the hands of wicked, selfish, greedy people. You don’t expect a thief not to steal. You don’t expect a wicked person to be nice.”
He further stated: “Somebody that can kill to get power. You want him to give you life when he gets it?”
Addressing criticism often directed at religious leaders, the pastor maintained that clerics have consistently encouraged Nigerians to participate in elections.
“We are men of God, we can’t run for politics, we can’t run for elections. And we’ve been telling you to vote, you refuse to vote. There, you are now blaming us,” he said.
Pastor explains alleged election-rigging strategy
The cleric claimed that low voter turnout creates opportunities for electoral manipulation. According to him, if a large percentage of registered voters cast their ballots, it becomes significantly harder to alter results.
“If everybody votes, they cannot rig,” he said.
Drawing from what he described as personal experience working with a presidential candidate, the pastor explained that when only a fraction of registered voters turn out, politicians allegedly exploit the unused votes.
“If 100 people register to vote, only 20 come to vote. You have given the politician latitude of 80. So if they lose the election by 10, they can add 30 from those that didn’t vote to the number,” he claimed.
Call for greater civic participation
The pastor concluded by urging Nigerians to take part in future elections, insisting that widespread participation remains one of the strongest tools for driving political change.
“Want to change Nigeria? Let all of us come and vote,” he said.
Watch the video here…
“It’s not that Nigeria cannot work, it’s just that governance is in the hands of wicked, selfish and greedy people” — Pastor says pic.twitter.com/XSecZFFdjn
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) June 26, 2026
