…As PFN Inaugurates South- South Zonal Executives
As parties gear up to elect their candidates ahead of next year general election, the South South Zonal Vice President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Apostle Dr. David Zilly Aggrey has urged them to jettison the idea of consensus candidacy, as better candidates may be shut out of the equation.
He submitted that parties should rather focus on electing credible candidates who possess requisite capacity to steer the country to the path of peace and economic prosperity.
Apostle Aggrey who was speaking at the inauguration of the South South Zonal executives of the PFN at the Royal House of Grace International Church, Port Harcourt on Friday, argued that even though party’s constitution or even the Nigerian constitution sanctioned consensus, it’s morally wrong because some persons would feel disenfranchised.
“People enjoy democracy for the fact that they participated in the electoral process. If I’m the governor of a state and I call a band of people, and I say this is the person I want, everybody will subscribe to the person for fear they might lose their jobs or something.
“When they go back, they would say ‘that’s not the person I wanted, but His Excellency said I should accept him.
“People should be allowed to express themselves because democracy means freedom, both of speech and the right to choose whom you want, even if that person would not win, you have that joy that this is the person I voted for”, he said.
The PFN Vice President who described Consensus as a new word in the country’s political lexicon, warned that if care is not taken, it would lead to subtle dictatorship.
Earlier in his exhortation before performing the inauguration, Bishop Dr. Francis Wale Oke, National President of PFN, charged the new South South executives to be submissive to the authority of the church.
The President who was represented by PFN’s National Secretary, Rev. Dr. Cosmos Ilechukwu charged them to represent their leaders and not seek to replace them.
His words, “We are by divine, appointment, mandate and unction, representatives of Christ. That is why the bible calls us ambassadors of Christ”.
Consequently, the PFN leader charged the PFN South South Zonal excos not to overstep their bounds by trying to replace the PFN leadership, adding, “Just like the church is a mirror of Christ, the PFN South South excos should also be a mirror of the PFN leadership”
The list of officials inaugurated include Bishop Abos Willie, Apostle Monty Abraham, Pastor Imarhiagbe S. Osarobo, Pastor Brighsolution Effiong Unoh, Apostle Jones Oghale Ikibeh, Apostle John Daniel, Rev. Imoh Eyo Bassey, Dr. Sylvanus Ukafia, Bishop Moses Omonkhuale and Pastor Blessed Andrew.
Others are Rev. Dr. Samson I. Igbinosa, Pastor Edward U. Ezedike, Apostle Rufus Eyo, Rev. Mrs. Omome Enakirerhi, Rev. B. A. Imumorin, Pastor Triumph Olorunfemi Obamoh, Pastor Imoisili Emmanuel and Deceaness (Mrs) Esther Ijeoma Odok.
Also on the list were Rev. Dr. Clem Emekene, Pastor Dr. Makbere Ubonso Jacob, Rev. Daniel Ishiel Ushie, JO, Pastor Jombo Okey, Rev. John Okene, Pastor Chinedu Udechukwu and Rev. Dr. Paul A.C. Dede, JP.
The well attended event also saw the appointment of Bishop Prince Richard as Principal Staff Officer, Office of the South-South Zonal Vice President of PFN.
