Kingsley Innocent, Senior Pastor of the Bible Believing Mission Incorporated, Aba in Abia State, in this interview, faults the various doomsday prophesies before the general elections and hoped that change can only come if Buhari selects people with exemplary character to work with him. ‘Talk na do’, as he is fondly called, reprimanded those who parade themselves before the politicians for money as shameful.
Some prophesies about the last general elections failed, why?
There are things that we must know about prophesy and prediction. Prediction and prophesy are not the same. Prediction may fail but prophesy may not, because of its source. Prediction is strictly human, while prophesy is spiritual. How and when do you know a prophet? You don’t know a prophet at the point of his prophesy, but you know him or her when the prophesy comes to pass. It is the fulfillment of the prophesy that will determine a true prophet. I will consider most of the things that were said during the elections as predictions. Men predicted and their predictions were wrong. Prophesy can not be wrong because God cannot lie.
Whatever God says must come to pass. The truth of the matter is that the presidential election was an interesting one because our country is growing. The outcome of this election shows that Nigeria is growing and there is hope. I once said there is hope for our nation, this is the beginning of that manifestation. The President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari is a Muslim and there are things we know about him. His character, personality and integrity. He is the man we need at a time like this. Nigerians have proven that this change is what we need now.
I am hopeful that God will give us the change. I will caution my fellow ministers of God to be careful about what we say and the things we predict. Let us be careful to know when we are talking and when God is talking. You don’t have to lie about your personal opinion and say it was from God.
We should not be carried away by emotions, feelings, situations or conditions, but we should be focused and go back to Bethel, to the place of the altar. This is not to discourage pastors over prophesy but I want all of us to retrace our steps. Let’s get back and get knowing that predictions and prophesies are not the same and they will never be.
How about allegations of politicians giving bribe to some pastors?
I am very worried and ashamed as well. Our place is the place of the altar and the reason for this is that too many pastors are running to government houses hence, this whole shame. Let us sit down and do what God has called us to do, let us remain at the place of the altar. We should stop running around government officials, it is a disgrace that money was given to ministers of God to mobilize for votes.
It is one story that should not be heard of the church. I feel so sorry for anyone who is involved in this act. It is ungodly, God is not part of this, we are not politicians, the church is not political, rather we should pray for politicians and tell them the truth. A politician who would release money because he wants to be elected is simply telling us that he is not coming to do anything that will better the lives of the people, we should be able to tell them the truth.
When they spend money before they get into office, when they get into office, they will want to get it back. This is unacceptable, ungodly and the church should not allow it. The church should say no to it, they should stand against it so that our nation can move forward and for our country to be developed the way other countries are. To better our nation, the time has come that time for elections are not a time for people to throw money around. It has come to the time that integrity and record of the people and what we know them for and what they are capable of doing should count. Not how much, the prerequisite for getting into public office should not be how much money that you have, but it should be the strength of your character that will take you there.
Expectations for the in-coming administration?
There are a lot of things to be done by the in-coming Buhari’s government. He is going to face a lot of challenges which I believe that God will help him. My only fear about this will be the people around him. It is another thing for a man to have good plans and it is another thing for him to have a team that shares his vision.
If the people do not share the same vision with him, all his efforts at the end of the day may not go as planned. I want to trust God to help the president- elect to choose men who have quality of character, men who are zero corrupt, men who are into the vision of nation-building, selecting the right people and not bringing the old elements who have plunged our nation into shame and disgrace over the years. He should choose men who have the fear of God, selfless men, who have the interest of our nation at heart, then we are sure of getting somewhere.
If the in-coming president can deal with the issue of leadership which is the problem of the nation. It is because our leaders are corrupt, our society is not enjoying what we should enjoy. Let Buhari put his ears on the ground, God will help him so that he can choose men who will represent him well because he cannot fight corruption alone.
He cannot do it alone. Buhari should also tackle power shortage so that we can have 24 hours of electricity supply. There are so many things that Nigerians can do for themselves. He has made a great touch on our refineries through the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) before and I believe that he would do it again. If he can fix our refineries and build new ones then the issue of fuel would be a thing of the past.
How would rate the INEC Chairman ?
I commend the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who conducted the 2015 elections such that we have not seen. Although, it was an exercise that was not completely free and fair, but we can say it was an improvement on 2011 general elections.
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