Clerics storm Abuja to reconcile Jonathan and Obasanjo

ABUJA - AHEAD of the 2015 general elections in the country, over 1000 Bishops and Pastors from the Pentecostal fold on Sunday stormed the Ecumenical Center Abuja to reconcile President Goodluck Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasajo.

THE Clerics who came from different parts of the country arrived late on Saturday while some of them from Imo State arrived early hours of Sunday and slept at the park as there were no officials of the organizers of the program.

But it was gathered that because of the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan who was away to Germany on a national official duty and that of the former President Obasanjo who was said to have been represented by his pastor the reconciliation prayer meeting could not precede.

JONATHAN AND ATIKU

There were divergent views on the invitation sent to the two leaders as some of the pastors claimed both President Jonathan and former President Obasanjo were formerly invited, some other members said that the President was not given formal invitation to attend but that he was aware of the meeting.

Some of the clerics told Vanguard that President Jonathan was represented at the prayer meeting by Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba but that the members had wanted the two personalities to be present so that the reconciliation could be effective

In the absence of the main objective of the meeting which was the reconciliation, the Ministers of God had intensive prayers against the recent outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, the insurgency in the North East occasioned by the Boko Haram sect and the abduction of Chibok girls in Borno State.

A Pastor who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said that there was also indiscriminate installation of Bishops and ordination of pastors at the occasion.

In an interview, one of the 100 pastors from Imo State that were stranded on arrival early hours of Sunday and founder and General Overseer of Light of God Mission, Mbaise, Imo State, Rev. Udechukwu Matthew Uka explained that the prayer meeting was to ensure a total reconciliation between President Jonathan and former President Obasanjo.

Rev. Uka said that the reconciliation of the two would bring a peaceful election in 2015 as well as unity to the country, stressing that the Men of God were concerned over the suspected strained relationship between two great leaders of the country.

According to him, “We came to Abuja to pray for the peace and unity of this nation and to make sure that the leaders of this nation are working in unison, especially we want to pray that God will unite the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo with the present President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“We know that they are leaders and when two of them are united, many souls, many part of the nation will be united, they are the head. The former President is aware of our coming, he is the grand patron of this network which is Master Seed Pentecostal and College of Bishops and Ministers network.

“We are almost 1000 in number organized by our national President Bishop David Emma Okoroafor Agu. The 1000 ministers are from different states of the federation. Many are from Rivers State, some from Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia State, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Lagos , Edo, Delta and many other parts of the country.

He also said that President Jonathan was aware of their and coming for the reconciliation meeting.

On while some of them slept at the park on arrival about 12 am on Sunday, he said, “The reason is that we came very late, our vehicle couldn’t meet up with time. Before we came in, our national organizers who should direct us where to pass the night have gone to their various homes, we came almost midnight that is why we were stranded.”

Also speaking Pastor Modestus Kelechi the General Overseer of Holy Ghost Intercessory Ministry with its headquarters in Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise in Imo State said that it was imperative that President Jonathan and former President Obasanjo should unite to give the nation direction.

Pastor Kelechi who is a notable prayer warrior said that God would not be happy to see the two men going across purposes, adding that animosity among the two could spell doom to the nation.

He said, “’they have to come together for the sake of this country.”