Some supporters of the Labour Party's (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have come after Pastor Poju Oyemade, the Senior Pastor and Founder of The Covenant Nation, over his recent comment urging Nigerians to work together for the country's growth regardless of party allegiance.
Oyemade on his Twitter page had written, “For every one who loves Nigeria you want the country to win regardless of "who is playing."
“Just like you want your favourite team to win the trophy even if the coach didn't field your preferred players, when your team scores you are happy. Let's stay focused it's all about the country winning.”
The comment however did not go down well with some netizens who were ardent supporters of Peter Obi.
A Twitter user, Aunty Uzor described Pastor Poju’s remark as demonic.
He said, “Lmaoooo Pastor Poju is a funny fellow. I just joined his live rn and someone called him out telling him to ask God for forgiveness for the demonic tweet he made yesterday, and boom, he turned off the comments. Hope someone took a screenshot.!
“He knows what he's doing. Chameleon.”
Another user, Chijioke Ubaka alleged that Pastor Poju’s comment was born out of his political affiliation. He said, “These are men of dogs who eat off the rot in the system, so I'm not surprised when he starts to romanticize evil instead of chastising. Criminals on the pulpit.”
Reacting to this situation, a Twitter user, Dr Dipo Awojide said Pastor Poju would not have expected the kind of treatment he received from Peter Obi’s supporters because of his public endorsement of the Obi’s candidacy during 2023 general election.
He wrote: “Pastor Poju couldn’t have foreseen that a man he helped to project to national politics will look away when his thugs attack him repeatedly for daring to have an opinion on national or political issues, even when he tries to be diplomatic. Some of the miscreants I used to promote their businesses for years, even when they hardly ever promoted ours, moved mad over an election. Just do your thing and prepare for the worst. That’s life.”
“Harrassed Pastor Paul Adefarasin. Harrassed Pastor Adeboye. Continuous harassment and abuse of Pastor Poju. Atiku came second in the election but his supporters in the Southwest, South south and the North aren't attacking pastors. There is a pattern to these attacks as well,” another Twitter user, Dr Toks added.
In a related incident, SaharaReporters In April reported how Peter Obi subtly energised his supporters, otherwise known as “Obidients” to continue their attacks on Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and other Nigerians critical of the movement.
Obidients had criticised the celebrated playwright for saying that recent remarks made by Datti Baba-Ahmed, vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party, contained “fascistic language”.
Baba-Ahmed had in an interview with Channels TV, on March 22, said the country had no “president-elect” despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcing Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the ‘winner’ of the election.
He had said that Tinubu would be leading an unconstitutional government if sworn into office because the APC candidate has not met the requirements of the law.
Reacting after the remarks, Soyinka described the statements as a do-or-die attitude and provocation that went contrary to democratic disposition.
The Nobel laureate added that he had never heard anyone threaten the judiciary on television the way Datti Baba-Ahmed did.
Following Soyinka’s position, Obidients disparaged the poet both on social media and on some mainstream media.
Instead of cautioning them, Obi in a series of tweets backed his supporters and subtly energised them in their attacks against anyone critical of the party or their style of politics.