The Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Samuel Uche, has condemned the agitation for the break-up of the country, saying that those championing it were being sponsored by selfish politicians.
“All these campaigns that the Igbo must leave a section of the country or that Biafra must be, they are all sponsored by politicians who are looking for political power,” Mr. Uche said on Sunday in Ibekwe, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, during a Thanksgiving Church Service organised by the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Nsima Ekere.
“Any politician who sponsor people to kill others so that they can enter political office, they will never enjoy that office,” Mr. Uche prayed in a loud voice.
The congregation responded with a loud “amen!”
The prelate continued: “I pray that Biafra and all those agitations will crumble in 2019”
“I am not PDP, APC or APGA. I am for every Nigerian.
“Nigerians will reject bad leaders in 2019”.
Mr. Uche spoke about “great deprivation” in the Niger Delta region and called on the federal government to urgently address the problem of the area.
“As a leader of the Methodist, I am saying here that we should allow this area (Niger Delta) to control its resources and pay a certain percentage of money to the centre
“Let us practice true federalism,” he said, adding that what is keeping Nigeria one was nothing other than oil.
“All these shouts of one Nigeria, one Nigeria is because of oil.
“If the oil dries up today, it will be to your tents oh Nigeria!”
Mr. Uche said he heard the finance minister say recently that there was improvement in the nation’s economy.
He said he believed the minister but that he would believe her the more when he sees families around him enjoy three square meals daily.
He attacked the nation’s politicians as being greedy lots.
Nigeria has enough to take care of the people’s needs but not enough to satisfy greedy politicians, he said.
“If we spend responsibly what we have, everybody could be taken care of and everybody will be happy.”
The NDDC chief, Mr. Ekere, in his remark during the church service, thanked God for His blessings upon his life and that of his wife.
Mr. Ekere asked Nigerians to continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari and the nation.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Governor Solomon Lalong of Plateau State, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah; and the Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Segun Oni, who represented the party’s National Chairman, John Oyegun.
