2023: Don’t join presidential race, cleric warns Jonathan

Break religious barriers - Jonathan advises youths
Goodluck Jonathan

The General Overseer, Hour of Mercy Prayer Mountain Worldwide, Prophet Muyideen Kasali, has said that the invitation of former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the race for the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket is a ploy to destroy the good name and integrity he built while in office.

Kasali, who advised Jonathan not to yield to the temptation to contest in the 2023 general election, said, “He should know that one needs to leave the stage when the ovation is loud. God has blessed and honoured him such that no other politician has equalled the kind of political progression he had in the country.”

The cleric, who spoke on Wednesday in a statement titled, ‘Cleric cautions ex-president, Jonathan, on 2023 polls’ made available in Ado Ekiti, advised the former president “not to allow his detractors posing as friends to tactically remove the glorious attire he is donning and drag him in the mud by bidding for Presidency.”

Kasali also urged Nigerians to intensify prayers against the worsening security situation in the country, saying, “We need to seek the face of God in prayers for intervention in insecurity which has defied human strength.”

He also urged those seeking to contest the 2023 polls “to give their ideas on how to tame banditry, terrorism in the country. If the killings and other criminal act do not stop, the 2023 polls may be jeopardised since most places are no longer safe.”

“The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, said recently that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd.) is saddened by the state of security and had given marching order to security chiefs to turn things around, but security is yet to improve,” the cleric said.

Kasali advocated convocation of a constitutional conference to usher in new constitution for the country, saying, “You cannot restructure what is not existing and something cannot be built on nothing. We must do away with the 1999 constitution because it can’t take Nigeria to the promised land.”

The cleric, who commiserated with Yoruba people, family, people and government of Oyo State over the demise of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, described the late monarch as “a man with unequal experience, wisdom who knew how to put things right and in order.”