The Niger Delta Bishops and Ministers Forum (aka United Bishops & Eminent Clerics Initiative), has risen in defence of the embattled cleric and founder of Omega Fire Ministry (OFM), the apostle, Johnson Suleiman, the man who is known for signs and wonders who is under image affliction.
In a press conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the president of the forum, Julius Ediwe, flanked by other bishops including the Secretary-General, John Peter,
National Treasurer, Christabell Benjamin, Finance boss (Favour) and the co-pastor of Overcomers International Christian Centre, Joy Azaka, the bishops said spiritual fathers in the Niger Delta can no longer fold their hands and watch Suleiman being ruined.
The bishop-president said the more than 10,000 members cannot sit and watch anymore but to openly protest against what he termed the orchestrated maligning of a true man of God.
He said: “This is deliberate propaganda targeted at his image and to distract him. So, spiritual fathers like us cannot sit and watch our own being destroyed. We cannot permit a girl to spoil the work of God. Suleiman is defender of the Christian family in Nigeria. This campaign is in error; who is judge unto men?”
Continuing, Ediwe said: “We totally condemn it. We say, leave Suleiman alone to continue to do his father’s work. We love what he is doing, he has made us proud. We command you, run away from this evil plot, else, the wrath of God will descend. Over 10,000 bishops and ministers of God have resolved on this; ‘touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm”.
He urged the Christian family to rise up and condemn this; the Muslim brothers should also speak up against this. “This is an abomination, and even our fathers should rise up now and condemn this because tomorrow it can be any other person. Let this girl in question plead for forgiveness, now.”
Answering questions from pressmen, the bishop said it looks politically motivated. “We knew what Suleiman did to defend Christians in Kaduna. We totally agree with what he said the governor of that state.”
On what the next line of action of the bishops could be, Ediwe said: “If this does not stop, judgment of God can come. It’s a God of consuming fire.”
He said it was the killing of Christians in the north that put Suleiman in this trouble. “It is wrong to kill Christians. We condemn it openly. Our forum once sent delegation to the sheik, Mahmud Abubakar, in Kaduna, to condemn killing of Christians. Yes, the place is relatively calm now, but we want this calmness to continue. We embarked on a peace tour. We urge Apostle Suleiman not to despair but to move on. All men of God should always move on despite attack.”
Chipping in, the female pastor, Joy Azaka made it clear that the apostle does not maintain a facebook or whatsapp account. “He does not do them. So, any statement coming on such platforms are not his own,” she said.
Ignatius Chukwu
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