The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has defended the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, amid criticisms over his alleged role in the cancellation of a planned protest. Obi, in a message shared on his X handle on Thursday, June 4,……
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has defended the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, amid criticisms over his alleged role in the cancellation of a planned protest.
Obi, in a message shared on his X handle on Thursday, June 4, also cautioned young Nigerians against what he described as the growing use of ethnic and religious narratives to divide citizens and distract from issues of governance and national development.
Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, particularly events in Lagos State, Obi said public conversations in the aftermath of the polls were distorted by sentiments that shifted attention away from competence, performance, and leadership capacity.
He warned that such patterns often emerge when political actors struggle to compete on ideas.
READ ALSO: Adeboye Did Not Protest Against President Goodluck Jonathan’s Administration – RCCG
“Whenever politicians find it difficult to compete on ideas, performance, character, or vision, some resort to exploiting the fault lines of ethnicity, religion, and identity. Their calculation is simple: a divided people are easier to manipulate than a united people,” he said.
Obi noted that many Nigerians were unknowingly drawn into narratives designed to inflame divisions, adding that similar trends were reappearing in the current political space in more subtle forms.
In his remarks, Obi strongly defended Pastor Adeboye, describing him as a respected spiritual leader who has consistently promoted peace, unity, and moral values in Nigeria.
“Let me state clearly that Pastor Enoch Adeboye remains one of the foremost fathers of faith in our nation. For decades, he has consistently preached the virtues of peace, prayer, love, reconciliation, and national unity. Even when faced with provocation, his response has always reflected humility, restraint, wisdom, and grace,” he said.
He cautioned against placing undue pressure or criticism on elderly figures in national conversations, stressing that responsibility for national transformation lies with younger Nigerians.
“At 84 years of age, it would be unfair for young and able-bodied Nigerians to transfer to him responsibilities that properly belong to them. The task of building a better Nigeria rests primarily on the shoulders of the younger generation,” he said.
Obi further warned that many divisive narratives are deliberately engineered to weaken national unity, urging citizens not to become instruments of such agendas.
“We must be careful not to become instruments in the hands of those who secretly nurture division while publicly preaching unity,” he said.
He urged young Nigerians to critically assess information, verify claims, and avoid being used to spread ethnic or religious hostility.
“Do not allow anyone to recruit you into hatred. Do not allow anyone to weaponise your ethnicity, your faith, or your admiration for respected leaders. Question every narrative. Verify every claim. Follow the facts. Resist manipulation,” he stated.
TVC News Online had on Tuesday, June 2, that the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) dismissed claims on social media that its General Overseer, Enoch Adejare Adeboye, participated in or led a protest against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to the church, the image was taken during a peaceful nationwide walk organised in compliance with a directive from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
RCCG said churches across the country were instructed to embark on peaceful walks after church services to draw attention to the killing of Christians and to urge the government to take stronger measures to protect lives and property.
The church noted that the walk in Ebute Metta, Lagos, where Pastor Adeboye was photographed carrying a placard, formed part of the nationwide exercise and had no connection whatsoever with Jonathan’s administration.
“It was neither organized against President Goodluck Jonathan nor connected in any way to his administration,” the statement said.
