18th August, 2022
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Thursday said it will not be endorsing any political candidate for the 2023 presidential election and told its members to vote their candidates of their choices.
The PFN made its position known after the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lagos.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting at its secretariat, National Secretary, PFN, Bishop Cosmas Elechukwu, said the body is maintaining its position that it would not engage in partisan politics.
He said PFN would not endorse any candidate, but that it was displeased that some politicians still held on to the Muslim-Muslim ticket, which would not make for the unity of Nigeria.
“Issues of concern to the Church and national interest were exhaustively discussed at this meeting. The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) notes that God has been exceedingly faithful and kind towards Nigeria, despite our failings. He has answered our prayers concerning the nation and we are thankful to God.
“The PFN resolves to continue to uphold Nigeria and the leadership of the country in prayer, given the grave economic situation of the country, which has further compounded the increasingly worrisome state of security in the country, with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other heinous crimes on the rise.
“The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria notes that even in the face of the unprecedented level of disunity in the country, some of the political parties and politicians have acted in disregard of the fragility of the times we live in, made worse by the poor management of our fault lines, thus further polarizing the country.
“Of note is that despite our advice to the political parties that a same faith ticket, be it Christian-Christian or Muslim-Muslim, will not augur well for the unity and future of Nigeria, some political parties chose to ignore that counsel,” he said.
He added that “The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria reaffirms its position that a same faith ticket can, in no way, be justified, as it is not in the interest of Nigeria, as it further jeopardises the prospects of peaceful co-existence and building of a united nation.
“The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) restates that in consonance with its constitution and governance framework, it is and has always been non-partisan. It has never been in the business of endorsing and will not be doing so in the 2023 elections.”
Elechukwu said the PFN would, however, continue to mobilise the church to ensure full participation in the political process at all levels.
He added that the body would always aligned itself with the decision of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)
Elechukwu said the PFN would continue to engage and collaborate with likeminded organisations and individuals to ensure that the 2023 elections delivered to Nigerians and Nigeria a ticket that would further the unity of the country in line with the expectations and prayers of Nigerians.
“The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria will continue to be open-minded and broad-minded, leaving the door of engagement with all political parties open, so that all the issues that are holding back the development and unity of Nigeria can be comprehensively addressed,” he stated.