ABUJA — Ahead of the 2027 general election, President Bola Tinubu has urged Christian leaders to promote peace and responsible participation in the electoral process, warning against the use of the pulpit to incite violence or deepen divisions. Tinubu made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2026 International Synod of Charismatic Archbishops, Bishops and Apostles, held at the National Christian Centre.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, the President urged the Church to play a greater role in peacebuilding and national security by helping to bridge denominational and religious divides.
He stressed that political contests were temporary, while Nigeria would remain beyond the elections.
“As charismatic bishops and fathers of faith, you have a decisive role to play in helping to ensure that Nigeria does not lose. I urge you, therefore, to encourage peaceful and consensual participation in the election.
“You should raise your voices against anti-democratic practices, such as vote buying, hate speech and the weaponisation of ethnicity or religion.
“To uphold the enviable level of uninterrupted democratic governance, you should demand issue-based campaigns and caution political actors whose ambition must never be placed above national peace and interest.
“This charge would, however, be incomplete if I do not admonish you to please refrain from turning the pulpit into an instrument of incitement instead of the sanctuary of conscience. An election is a contest for profits,” he said.
The President also acknowledged the sacrifices Nigerians had made amid the ongoing economic reforms, assuring citizens that the Federal Government remained focused on improving household incomes, reducing hardship and ensuring that the benefits of the reforms were increasingly felt across the country.
“We commend our citizens for their patriotism and resilience, and assure them that it will never be in vain, as promised,” he said.
