Joseph Ojo, founder and general overseer of Calvary Kingdom Church (CKC) International, Lagos, spoke with SEYI JOHN SALAU on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election, stating the likely implication of such action on Nigeria’s political calculations. The CKC Archbishop equally spoke about his vision and drive for the ministry that recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Excerpt:
The ruling party has announced a Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2023 general election; as a thought leader in the religious space, what is the implication of this on the polity?
From my own point of view, the implication is that they have given the electorate an opportunity to make their choice; because when there are no two alternatives the choice is not there. Yes, there is PDP, the opposition party; the APC ruling party; but as it is now PDP and APC are the same party. But, thank God there is an option, and the option is the Labour Party. I think the Labour Party is the real party because we are all here on earth labouring; either labouring for God, labouring for family or labouring for the future. So, we are all going to be labour. The way I see it: maybe those who have feelings before, not just because of the monetary gains but for better lives for Nigerians would have thought maybe they would have taken precaution in making their choice. Since they have done it; they are politicians, they know what they are calculating. Maybe, they will come from arithmetic to algebra; from algebra to mathematics and let’s see how the equation will work out.
He said the choice is based on competence; don’t you think it’s high time we brought competence forward in the choice of who leads us as a people?
Nobody doubts the competence of any of the candidates, that’s the truth. If they are not competent, they will not present themselves and they will not be elected. I think all of them are competent because if they are not they will not be vying for that position. But, there are other credible and competent lieutenants that I think Tinubu would have chosen – that’s my own thinking. But, if he decides to toe that way, we should pray for God to help them; that is my view. John, if you are elected vice president; you should be competent enough to accept it and know what to do given the time that the preparations are made – you will have consultations and seek people that will help you out. Knowledge is not a prerequisite of any individual. So, people can acquire knowledge by discussing with friends and that is it. You can succeed – that is what I am saying. I think they would have balanced the ticket; that’s my thinking – to give options to people to make their choices.
While speaking earlier, you made mention of the APC and PDP being the same; would you like to clarify that statement?
Hmmmm, I just want to be careful with that aspect because I am a pastor – you lead people that you cannot change. I don’t want to just stick my neck out – it will affect some members.
Read also: Activist asks Christian bodies to oppose Muslim-Muslim ticket by voting
Let’s look at the level of insecurity in relation to the recent jailbreak. In 2015, Nigerians wanted a man with military background to tackle insecurity; however happenings in the country in the last seven years suggest we were wrong. What is the implication of this as we go into another round of general election?
The implication is that people looked at human might in 2015. They put their trust in man – military background; that was humanistic; that was trying to put God out of it (except the Lord watch over the city, the watchman watcheth and waiteth but in vain). So, at that time they had made the mistake of thinking only a military person or who had a military background could salvage the situation – they were wrong. Whether someone has a military background, knowledge or not, or has the knowhow of how to handle sensitive issues like security would have been a better consideration. Look at what just happened now, you don’t need a military man – you need people with intelligence. In advanced countries and territories they have people with intelligence – people that gather intelligence, and that’s where security begins from. So, if you have military might and you don’t have people who are intelligent enough to gather information and detect or decide what to do; you’ll miss it all. So, I think in 2015 people were wrong to have thought that a military background will help. What they are doing now is what they would have done then – look at the leading political parties now; there is no one of them presidential candidates that have a military background, which is good. So, it’s God that protects us; that is my thinking. So, they were wrong to not ask APC in 2015 when they were promising ‘Change’, what kind of change. For me, APC have delivered their promise of change. They have changed us from a secured nation to an unsecured nation – that’s change. We were more secure in 2015 than it is now; so, APC didn’t fail; rather they succeeded in giving us what they promised. APC promised us change, and they have given us the change – it’s we that were naive, that didn’t ask them then – what kind of change. If you enter a bus from Jibowu and you are going to Yaba, and you give the conductor money: if you ask for change – he will tell you how much change? But, we didn’t ask what change they were going to give us. So, we have gotten the change; change from security to insecurity.
Finally, your ministry recently celebrated her 20th anniversary;ey what is the vision and drive of the new decade for you?
Consolidation. Consolidation: you know we are going to be reaffirming policies and strategies that have worked and reviewing policies and strategies that haven’t worked. That is my projection for the next foreseeable future – consolidate what is good; what has helped, and review what has not really been productive.
