Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has launched a blistering attack on the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his renewed patronage of churches, warning that the politicisation of religion could deepen divisions and threaten Nigeria's unity ahead of the 2027 elections. Adeyanju, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, described Obi's appearance at Koinonia Global Ministries in Abuja on Sunday as a return to the "same politics of religious mobilisation that divided Nigerians in 2023". He argued that elections should be centred on ideas, policies, and competing visions for the country, not on religious identity.
"Elections should be about ideas, policies and competing visions for Nigeria. Religion and politics should never be allowed to become instruments of division. The church is not a place for political campaigns or political gimmicks, and politicians are not pastors," Adeyanju declared. He also cited the Electoral Act 2026, stating that it expressly prohibits the use of places of worship for political campaigns and campaigning on religious, tribal, or sectional grounds. "The gathering of religious clerics by a governor last week to endorse Tinubu is also condemnable, just as it is troubling to see Peter Obi appearing to return to the same politics of religious mobilisation that divided Nigerians in 2023," he added.
Adeyanju's criticism follows Obi's appearance at Koinonia Global Ministries, an interdenominational worship centre founded by Apostle Joshua Selman in Abuja. During the service, Obi urged Nigerians to pray for politicians, stating that politicians were the country's problem. "Pray for us politicians. Let God touch us to cease stealing. Do not say one is good and another is bad. We (politicians) are the problem of the country," Obi said. He also reflected on Nigeria's development trajectory compared with other countries, urging Nigerians to read "Growing Apart," a book he said highlights how countries achieved development by adopting different approaches.
However, Obi's visit to the church has sparked widespread criticism on social media. Adeyanju was particularly scathing in his response, posting on X: "Peter Obi the religious bigot has started again moving from church to church with elections around the corner. Church to church campaign lol. Shameless man". Other social media users also expressed disapproval, with one user noting that Obi had "resumed his church-to-church movement", while another wrote: "Playing religious cards during an election is allowed, I will only have a problem with you if you criticise another politician when they play theirs".
Adeyanju warned that the religious divisions associated with the 2023 election should not be allowed to recur in 2027. "At what cost will it be when we continue to divide ourselves along religious lines using the weapon of politics? At what cost? The bad precedent set in 2023 should not be repeated, let alone worsened," Adeyanju said. He urged pastors to desist from providing political platforms to politicians to preserve the sanctity of religious institutions. "All is not fair in politics. All is not fair in politics like President Tinubu wrongly said," Adeyanju added.
This is not the first time Adeyanju has criticised Obi's church strategy. In previous elections, Adeyanju had accused Obi of using the Nigerian church to secure six million votes. He had also described Obi's church visits as "unintelligent" and warned that the former Anambra State governor was expecting the churches to serve as his political structure. Adeyanju's latest attack comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with opposition figures increasingly vocal about the administration's spending priorities and campaign strategies.
The controversy has also reignited debates about the role of religion in Nigerian politics. While some argue that politicians have the right to engage with religious communities, others contend that such engagements blur the line between worship and political activity. As the 2027 elections draw closer, the question remains whether Obi's church strategy will once again prove effective or whether it will deepen the religious divisions that have long plagued Nigeria's political landscape.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments