Signs that the 2023 politics in Rivers State might take a more dangerous turn have started to emerge as the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) takes on Governor Nyesom Wike mercilessly.
Wike who is also a presidential aspirant of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), drew the ire of APC following his unguarded outburst on Sunday at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, situated along Garrison, in Port Harcourt, the state capital..
The Rivers strongman was in the church for a thanksgiving service to celebrate the legal victory secured at the Supreme Court in the oil well dispute between his state and Imo State.
No sooner Wike was availed the opportunity to speak, he started to curse and rile in what APC describes as ‘’his characteristic savage manner.’’
Apparently shaken, the Rivers wing of APC is calling on the clergy to desist from offering their church platforms to individuals with ‘’track record of irresponsible verbal incontinence like Governor Wike from desecrating the church pulpit in the name of politics.’’
APC State Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, in a statement on Tuesday said, ‘’while we felt we had seen enough of sacrilegious behaviour from the holy places of worship either by some politicians who were provided temporary use of the pulpit or by questionable keepers of the church, whatever doubts left in our minds were wiped out last Sunday at the thanksgiving service to celebrate the legal victory secured at the Supreme Court in the oil well dispute between Rivers and Imo States that held at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Garrison, in Port Harcourt.
‘’The height of his usual uncouth vituperation was when, right in front of the Lord Bishop of the Niger Delta North Diocese and that of Bishop of Ikwerre Diocese, Wike invoked thunder on the Ijaw National Congress (INC) that had earlier given the governor a 48-hour ultimatum to release one of their own, Dr. Farah Dagogo from incarceration ordered by the governor.
“Thunder fire you and ultimatum”, the governor cursed.
Continuing, the APC spokesman said, ‘’this happened right inside the church before the full compliments of the clergy and congregation which included children. There is no doubt that some of those present, especially children, would feel that it is the right way to speak to or curse those who annoy them.
‘’APC, having given up on a kleptomaniac of a governor whose soul seems to know where it will end up already, calls on the church, be it Orthodox or Pentecostal to desist forthwith from offering platform to politicians such as Governor Wike from desecrating the holy pulpit of God in exchange for money given in the name of thanksgiving.
‘’The argument that the governor spoke from the church lectern and not from the pulpit is disingenuous and not very smart. The pulpit is only a symbol. Any one speaking or ministering to the congregation in a church irrespective of whether from the lectern or wherever, is speaking from the holy pulpit of God.
‘’In a nation where institutions are easily compromised by both the leaders and the led, religious places such as the church and mosque should be spared as the last place of physical and emotional refuge and the sanctuary of truth and decency. That is why even during wars, the church or mosque is spared by combatants.
‘’It is saddening that days after, the high command of the Church of Nigeria has not come out to condemn the sacrilege pronounced at St. John’s Anglican Church by an uncouth, shameless and accidental governor.’’
