By Laide Akinboade, Abuja 

Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, advised religious leaders to be careful of politicians who are desperate for power.

The Minister stated this when Committee of FCT Imams Initiative (CFII), and Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, paid him a separate visits in his office in Abuja.

He added that they should not believe everything they read in the social media .

 CAN waz led by the National President, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh and the committee of Imams was led by the Chairman, Imam Tajudeen Adegun .

The minister said during the separate meeting with the religious groups, that politicians who were desperate for power can do anything to divide the country for their selfish interest.

During the meeting with CAN, Wike said: “Let me advise all of us. You say you are not politicians but be careful about politicians. Be careful with politicians who are so desperate to get power.

“Be careful with politicians who can do anything just because of power. It is not everything you read in social media that is correct. Go and ask questions.

“I am seated here as the minister of FCT, if there is anything you here that the FCT is trying to do, do not hesitate, just like you wrote for this courtesy call, do not hesitate to also ask, this thing I am hearing, is it correct?

“So that we will be able to defend the government and defend ourselves.

“There are those who could not face us in the political scene, what they do is to run back to religious leaders and say, do you know this man?

“He hates you. If not, he wouldn’t have done this; he would not have done that, and you would fall into the trap,” he warned.

He stressed the need for religious leaders to always ask questions before taking any action and urged the clerics to pray for the leadership of the country.

According to him, once a leader emerges after an election, people should leave their personal view and pray for the leaders to succeed so that the country will succeed.

“God has voted a president for this country, pray for him to succeed. Har decisions are being taken to address the wrong way things have been done.

“This is not the time to criticise, but to help Nigeria to grow.”

The minister promised that the FCT Administration would continue to support the National Christian Centre and the National Mosque, which he described as “national assets”.

He promised to visit the two national monuments to see the state of the rehabilitation to determine the nature of assistance that would be directed to the two monuments.

“We will continue to support the National Mosque and the National Christian Centre,” Wike assured CAN.

The minister also told the CFII to be wary of politicians who were not lovers of the country, but angels of disunity and causing divisions where there was no division.

“You have to be careful as religious leaders, don’t allow politicians, those who are desperate and those who think if they are not in power, Nigeria must come down to sell or distort information.

“Anything you are not clear about, do not hesitate to ask, this is what you heard, what is the position? But if you follow propaganda by political leaders then you are not doing anything meaningful to yourself.

“Politics is over; a President has emerged. It is for you the leaders to now pray for God to guide the Piresident, give him the wisdom, and bring out ideas on how the nation will grow.

“If he fails, Nigerians have failed,” he said.

Wike pledged renewed partnership with the group and carried them along, particularly on issues that concerned them.  

Earlier, Okoh said the CAN leadership was in his office to declare full support to the Wike-led administration and pray for him to succeed.

He reiterated CAN’s commitment to continue to engage stakeholders and promote social cohesion.

He appealed to the minister to award the contract for the second phase of the rehabilitation of the centre, adding that phase one had been concluded in May 2023.

In the same vein, the chairman of CFII, Adegun, who described Wike as a true Nigerian, pledged the initiative’s support and advice for the growth, development, and unity in FCT.

Recalls that Wike had on Oct. 18, pledged continued support for the maintenance and development of the Abuja National Mosque, when the Abuja National Mosque Management Board, led by its Chairman, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, visited him in Abuja.