Posted by By JOE NWANKWO Abuja and MUYIWA OYINLOLA, Lagos on
As the rift between President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar continues to generate controversy, former Head of State and the Chairman of Nigeria Prays, Gen. Yakubu Gowon has attributed the disagreement to the activities of demons within the presidency.
As the rift between President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar continues to generate controversy, former Head of State and the Chairman of Nigeria Prays, Gen. Yakubu Gowon has attributed the disagreement to the activities of demons within the presidency.
Speaking Tuesday in Abuja at a press briefing on the 10th anniversary of Nigeria Prays, Gowon, represented by the Assistant National Director of the organisation, Rev. Raphael Opawoye called on the National Assembly to handle the letter before it indicting the Vice President prayerfully.
The former leader's admonition comes as elder statesman, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu and other eminent Nigerians under the aegis of the Ethnic Nationalities Forum (ENF) met in Lagos on Tuesday and declared that the two leaders had no moral authority again to continue to rule the nation.
They arrived at this position after a four-hour meeting held behind closed doors at Ojukwu's residence in Ikoyi.
According to Gen Yakubu Gowon, "there is a demon travelling within the presidency that is responsible for what we are witnessing today. We are praying that God should arrest the demon.
"We pray that God would give the National Assembly the wisdom to deal with the rift between the president and the vice president prayerfully. We are asking God to divinely intervene as what is on ground is above politics or corruption. It is above the politics of 2007, it has a lot of individual problems. We are praying for divine intervention in the affairs of the nation," he added.
Reacting to the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Gowon noted that the commission was doing well, but added that if the commission allowed itself to be used as a tool against perceived political opponents, the next administration would usher in somebody that would reveal the other side of the investigations that were hidden from the public.
He said that Nigeria Prays had in the last 10 years been mobilising Nigerians particularly the church to pray fervently for the nation, her leaders and citizenry, adding: "By the grace of God, Nigeria Prays has provided an avenue for every burdened Nigerian irrespective of his or her denominational affiliation to join several others across the nation to pray without ceasing for the nation.
"This year, Nigeria Prays, as part of her 10th anniversary celebration will organize a public lecture on The Role of Prayer: National Reconciliation and Transformation, to be delivered by Rev. Father Matthew Hassan Kukah. Pastor Enoch Adeboye the pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God will preside over the prayer session," he said.
The event billed for the International Conference Centre would begin by 11am and herald activities marking the nation's 26th independent anniversary.
The ENF meeting, while noting that the allegation and counter-allegation of corruption between Obasanjo and Atiku was unfortunate and embarrassing, urged the two politicians to respond to the accusations with clarity.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, the secretary of the group, Michael Orobafor, said that: "The embarrassing and pervasive political corruption in governance was considered and roundly condemned."
Reeling out a 9-point communique, he said, "the meeting noted that "this was not entirely unexpected considering the nature and calibre of personalities that presently preside over the matters of the state."
Moreover, the group expressed apprehension on the conduct of the 2007 general elections, alleging that "the confusion in the polity was to create a state of emergency so that he (Obasanjo) can extend his tenure."
However, Orobafor hinted that ENF had written a letter to the United Nations "on the lawlessness of Obasanjo to conduct 2007 elections."
Furthermore, it called on the Federal Government to release forthwith the incarcerated leaders of ethnic militia groups, even as it blamed the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the spate of political assassination and other violence in the country.