Pastor Femi Emmanuel, a veteran preacher and former Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, has said pastors should not endorse political candidates from the pulpit, while urging Christians to become more involved in politics through lawful civic participation.
He made the remarks during an interview on TVC. Femi Emmanuel said the church has an important role in preparing members to become responsible citizens, but he insisted that religious leaders must avoid using the pulpit to campaign for political parties or candidates.
According to him, churches are made up of people with different political beliefs, making it inappropriate for pastors to publicly direct members to support a particular candidate during elections.
During the interview, Pastor Femi Emmanuel said, “No Pastor Should Endorse Any Candidate From the Pulpit, But Christians Must Stop Treating Politics Like a Forbidden Territory.”
He argued that many Christians have been raised to believe politics is dirty and should be avoided. According to him, that belief has discouraged many capable people from participating in the country’s political process.
Femi Emmanuel maintained that while pastors should remain non-partisan, they should educate members on the importance of obtaining voter cards, joining political parties and participating in activities at the grassroots.
He also said political participation should not be confused with partisanship, explaining that Christians can contribute to national development without turning the church into a platform for political campaigns.
The cleric noted that many of Nigeria’s leadership challenges have continued because responsible citizens have stayed away from the structures where political decisions are made.
He encouraged church members to become active in democratic processes that produce credible leaders, saying greater participation would strengthen governance and accountability.
Femi Emmanuel concluded that pastors should continue preaching the gospel while also helping members understand their civic responsibilities, stressing that active citizenship is necessary for meaningful national development…See_More
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