The All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Bola Tinubu and a few Northern Bishops met, and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has distanced itself from that encounter.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, on Thursday of last week, the APC presidential candidate met in Abuja with the Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria.
Speaking at the gathering, Tinubu said that the Christian community was not endangered by his choice of Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno State, as his running mate.
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Bishop David Bakare, the PFN’s deputy national secretary, claimed in a television appearance on Friday that the fellowship’s leadership was unaware of the delegation that met with Tinubu.
He emphasized that such a group does not exist within the PFN’s fold and said that the PFN was in no way associated with the meeting between Tinubu and the Northern Bishops.
The Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket put up by the ruling party for the 2023 general elections, according to Bakare, is still opposed by fellowship.
He said: “The PFN is an arm of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the position of the fellowship on the same faith presidential ticket of the APC has not changed. The meeting between Tinubu and the Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria has nothing to do with the PFN.”
“I am speaking to you officially and authoritatively that the ranks of the Christian community and of course, the PFN which I represent are not broken at all.
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“The Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria is not known to the PFN. The forum does not have any affiliation or relationship with the PFN that is registered with the government of this nation”, he said.
”The position of the PFN on same faith ticket still stands as it was in the beginning and we have not, for any reason, shifted our position on that matter…The PFN was not a part of the meeting with the presidential candidate that was highly politicised.
“We are however aware of the ripples in the public domain about this matter. I am speaking officially to clarify that the PFN has nothing to do with that organisation.”
“We didn’t take such a decision, we have not met that political party and whatever we will do would be in the public domain. That group is on their own and has nothing to do with the real incorporated PFN.
“I looked at the photos and the names. I could recognise about two people who are our members, but they speak for themselves.
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“All Pentecostal leaders in Nigeria, from the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Living Faith, Mountain of Fire House on the Rock, among others speak with one voice.”
Bakare stated that the PFN is not regionally based like Southern or Northern Pentecostal Bishops, saying that the Bishops that met with Tinbu are imposters.
He added: “Finally, I wish to let you know that there is nothing in PFN that is regionally based like Southern or Northern Pentecostal Bishops.
“As a matter of fact, the PFN does not have any settings for Bishops. What we have is PFN, we do not separate Bishops of Pentecostal from other clergies of Pentecostal. “
“PFN is just one body under which all Bishops, Pastors and members are lined up behind Bishop Francis Wale, the President.
“We stand by our decision, we have not and will not bend to the dictate of any political group.”
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“It doesn’t matter what politicians will want to do, the truth and the joy is that the PFN is not divided on its position. Individuals can form an association but when it comes to the body called PFN, there is no change in our position and we have not authorised anybody to hold a meeting on our behalf.”
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