Apostle Victor Oku, Senior Pastor, Divine Mercy Church International, Lagos said God revealed to him that the result of February’s Presidential election will astonish many, adding that the result would cause an uprising.
The clergyman, in an interview with DICKSON OKAFOR, said the issue of same-faith ticket should not divide Nigerians, even as he urged Christians and Muslims to see themselves as brothers and sisters from one God if Nigeria must attain a greater height.
Oku also proffered solutions to the challenges of insecurity, poor economy and hardship plaguing the country at the moment.
Nigeria is in a critical state ahead of the forthcoming general elections, considering the state of the economy, insecurity and the redesigning of the Naira notes which many believe has political undertones. How could these factors play out in the elections?
This year’s general elections will be peaceful, free and fair even though there are issues going on just as you highlighted some of them, but the elections will be transparent. What I saw spiritually concerning the three major candidates for the presidency, Atiku Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) and the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, they are all competent and credible, but one of them will win. The presidential election result will not go down well with many Nigerians. Because they have issues against the candidate that will emerge victorious whom they believe is unfit to govern the country. But God said he is His choice among all the contestants. Also, there are other things I saw concerning the election which I will not make public or say on air now.
There is the issue of the economy and the inability of the present administration to fix it. Considering that many believe that some of the candidates are part of the present government. How will that play out?
Sometimes the people we thought would not be good leaders end up being the best. To God, human thoughts and feelings don’t matter. He is a master planner who knows what He will use any human being to do in order for His will to prevail. I’m not here to campaign for any of the candidates, but I’m saying this is what God revealed to me concerning this year election. Also, most time the person that the people have confidence in that would meet their needs end up failing them. Nigerians should not consider tribe, ethnicity or religion one belongs to before casting their votes. Rather, they should elect a competent and transparent person as President Buhari’s successor. We should as well allow God to choose good leaders for us because our choice may be wrong. My advice to the youths is to allow God give us who can revamp our economy as our next President. What God is seeing in the candidates is different from what man is seeing because He is the Omnipotent God. What He says is what happens and the hearts of the contestants are in the hands of God. God can use any of them to do what Nigerians may not imagine.
Another factor that did not go down well with many Nigerians is the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling party, as some Christians in Nigeria felt undermined. What do you make of that?
It’s time we rose above religiosity and see ourselves as one. You will agree with me that national interest supersedes every interest except that of God who created us all. So, God did not tell me that He is not happy with the choice of Muslim-Muslim ticket of APC Presidential candidate or Tnubu/Shettima ticket for this year Presidential election. We all serve one God. I really believe that God can use anybody or persons to accomplish His desire for humanity. God can do anything through anybody irrespective of the person’s religious affiliation because we are all His products. Nigeria is a secular state and we have three types of religion which include Christianity, Islam and traditional religion. In that aspect, I don’t see religion as an issue that can make God change from being the Supreme power. So, I advise Nigerians not to vote along religious line, but they should vote for a competent, tested and trusted team.
As it stands, Nigerians wants to elect a candidate that will fight and defeat insecurity. Who among the candidates do you think can accomplish this task if elected President?
Anybody anointed by God to succeed President Buhari can defeat every negative force, including insecurity. I assure you that the next administration will defeat insecurity because anybody backed by God can restore security anywhere. The Bible says except the Lord watches the city, those who watch, watch in vain. The Bible also said by strength shall no man prevail. Except the Lord gives a man wisdom, he cannot protect the people, not even his family. No matter who is elected as President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor, if God did not back him, he can’t end insecurity. So far, past Nigerian leaders had tried to defeat insecurity, but they were unable to win the battle. I’m confident that the President will restore security in Nigeria. Even the army will tell you that victory is of the Lord. Specifically, what I saw concerning the person that will take over from Buhari is that there will be positive changes in the country when he assumes office. Just like I told you earlier, there are other personal issues I will want to discuss with the next President and also advise him on what God said I should tell him personally to make his administration successful and bring joy to Nigerians. Yes, after the announcement of the result, I saw an uprising and I also saw how God intervened and brought solution to the sponsored uprising against the winner.
Few weeks ago, President Buhari warned security agents not to jeopardise the polls, insisting they must be apolitical, professional and uncompromising during the elections. Do you see the security agents adhering to this warning?
President Buhari is a retired Army General and he knows what he’s talking about hence the reason for the warning. It is a known fact that if our military officers and other ranks go for peacekeeping mission in other countries, they perform excellently well. But in most cases, they don’t replicate such feat here when they come back. Insecurity is a critical issue in Nigeria and if not properly tackled, it may obstruct the conduct of free and fair election in 2023. That is one of the issues I mentioned earlier that must be properly dealt with by the appropriate security agencies. My view on the poor performance of our security agents is that when a man is not rewarded adequately in terms of allowances, rights and privileges with a good salary, they won’t perform well. For example, I have seen many Nigerian soldier who travelled out of the country on federal assignment either peacekeeping or other military routine assignments; they come back looking different. They look physically transformed, very robust, and charming because they were well taking care of over there, unlike here. So, when a security agent is well taken care of he will perform wonders in terms of service to the nation. The solution to insecurity is within us.
It is believed that government decided to redesign the Naira notes as a measure to curb corruption and stop lifting of cash by fraudsters. What is your take?
The case of corruption starts from the top to the bottom and if government wants to truly put an end to corruption, it must begin from within. To curb corruption, government officials whose salaries are far below their standard of living should stop dipping their hands into public funds. Because the youths see them living above their salaries, they will also look for a way to live extravagant lives, and that is why they go into advance fee fraud called 419. Also, government should create an enabling environment for private enterprise to grow so that young Nigerians can be gainful employed. No administration can stop corruption without job creation, vibrant economy, equity and justice and ensure that the commonwealth is equally distributed. You can see on the streets of Nigeria that over 70 per cent of youths are idle. They don’t have jobs and because an idle man is the devil’s workshop, they are easily lured into crime and other vices. Remember in 2015 and 2019, the present government led by President Buhari promised to put an end to corruption, tame insecurity and revive the economy through paying more attention to agriculture, but within few months to leave office after eight years, none of the above was accomplished. A busy man or woman won’t have time to indulge in unlawful activities. They make time out to work, pray, fast and engage in other fruitful activities.
As an advocate of free and fair election, do you see INEC conducting credible election in few weeks time having complained that the violence unleashed on some of their offices and electoral materials may hinder the conduct of election in some areas?
As I said earlier, men cannot guarantee complete protection of themselves because except the Lord watches the city, the watchmen watch in vain. For the election to be free and fair, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must commit the conduct of this year election in the hands of God. Again, we should be sensitive and provide the security agents with information that will help them apprehend those perpetrating this evil in our land. The Bible said, a house divided against itself cannot stand.
Religion has been one of the determining factors of Nigerian politics. As an Apostle of God, what is your advice to your fellow Christians and head of churches in Nigeria on how to be peaceful during and after the elections?
Religious issue has been a factor in human existence even before Jesus Christ came. My advice to Christians and Muslims is that we should be led by God to vote for who can transform Nigeria and better our lives. You don’t do things because others are doing it, but you should be led by God. I didn’t mention the name of who God chose to succeed President Buhari because I don’t want to gain anything from it. After all, I don’t know him, but I say so because that is what I saw spiritually. On the issue of religion, I have always said that when we start fighting each other, we will have a scattered Nigeria. What will be, will be, no matter how much or how long we fight ourselves. Christianity has come to stay and nothing will take it out of the face of the world. Also, Islam has come to stay; nothing will take it out of the face of the world. Even traditional religion also. The solution is that we should take ourselves the way we are and when this is maintained, we have a good and prosperous Nigeria. When a Muslim will look at a Christian and say this is my brother and my sister. When a Christian will look at a Muslim and say this is my brother and my sister and the traditional worshippers too. When we will truly open our hearts and love each other, Nigeria will be a better country.
Source: The Sun
