Okowa warns against military intervention

•Group decries alleged move to truncate governance

GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State yesterday described those plotting to use the military to hijack government as enemies of God and the country.

He made the disclosure in Benin City, the Edo State capital, at a church programme, “Too faithful to Fail,” which was organised by the Rock of Ages Christian Assembly International (RACAI)

According to him, it was “ungodly and barbaric” for people to wish President Muhammadu Buhari dead, rather than praying for him to be alive to continue with his work of progress and unity of the country.

“One thing I know about this country is that God is in charge and there is no reason for the president’s health to be politicised.”

Okowa also explained that Delta State was facing more challenges than any other states in the south-south, noting prayer was the major way out of the militancy that once rocked the oil-rich state.

He said he declared every May 29 as a day of praise and worship and urged the Christian community not to relent in praying for the country’s leaders.

“I am sure that most of you know that since 2016, Delta State has been a theatre of battle in the creeks. But I trusted in God who sent me and by God’s grace the problem has all stopped.

“Don’t blame Buhari or those in government because prayers could change the country’s policy direction and recession and the current recession,” he said.

RACAI’S Senior Pastor, Apostle Charles Osazuwa said the theme of the programme was to create awareness and solution to country’s problems.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance (COCMEGG) has backed the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai’s opposition to military incursion. He condemned the inflammatory remarks by politicians to allegedly destabilise the polity to overheat the political space.

In a statement at the weekend by its Executive Director, Kenneth Aigbegbele, the group noted: “We wholeheartedly support the COAS in his patriotic call and efforts to keep the country peaceful and stable. We therefore warn politicians, power seekers and political jobbers to desist forthwith from heating up the polity and stop their ungodly acts of soliciting the assistance of soldiers to create disharmony and chaos, thereby bringing the achievements of the present administration to nought.

“We urge men and officers of the Nigerian Army to remain loyal to the COAS and the nation and steer clear of those enemies of Nigeria who desire to take us back to the Dark Age and be mindful of such interactions henceforth.”