Buhari’s anti-corruption fight won’t succeed with the present police –Bishop Okah
December 31, 2016
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The National Vice President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Simeon Okah, in this interview with OVIE OKPARE
bares his mind on some national issues, including the introduction of a bill for the creation of Christian Court which has
passed second reading at the House of Representatives, and how the government could resolve different agitations in the
country
You kicked against the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 general elections. What is your
assessment of the present administration so far?
Well, I think that things are there to speak for themselves and I have very little to say. By now, Nigerians should be thankful to
God that there are some people like us who God still speaks to. He was not the right material. To start with, we agree he is a
retired General. But evidences were there that he was not the right man to lead the country at this age. It’s a very dynamic
society and we need somebody who is sound in mind and also in spirit. The reality on the ground will now allow Nigerians to
say whether I am right or wrong. But to me, I think I was right.
Are you surprised that we are in recession barely a year into this administration?
How would I be surprised? The man (Buhari) took over power, he started going round the whole world telling them we are all
corrupt, that we are all thieves. I have some spiritual children in the United Kingdom who literally wept when the man was
telling them to their own face that they were all thieves. When you call your people thieves, what will other nations call you?
He first of all told the world that our economy was bad, when we have a name to protect. If we at the Flock of Christ Mission
have a name to protect, how much more a nation like Nigeria?
But many people believe the President is winning the war against corruption, what’s your view on this?
There are too many lies and deception in this present administration. And once there is deception, according to the Bible, the
devil is the author. The fight against corruption is all political. You know as I know that those who are now in the All
Progressives Congress, the majority of them defected from other parties and these parties were all corrupt. Some of the
ministers are also very corrupt. Some of us thought he was going to heaven to bring some angels to help him. We didn’t
know that he would gather people who worked for him and appoint them as ministers.
Buhari’s government ranks high in terms of delaying budget. The moment he signed the budget into law, it was greeted with
padding and he did not see it before signing it to law. He has not been able to tell us the percentage that was implemented in
the 2016 budget before coming up with a new budget by using big grammar to deceive Nigerians. I have discovered that in
Nigeria, it is only liars that succeed more because Nigerians no longer ask how you got your money. To me, this is a
government of deception.
On fighting corruption, I want to offer some advice to President Buhari if he wouldn’t mind. There is no way you are going to
fight corruption with this present state of police and you succeed. If you don’t change the orientation of the present police
from tormenting the society, all these might just be a mirage. We are still in the era of the colonial masters who used police to
torment their own people. As I was coming to the office to keep up with this interview, a policeman pointed gun at my head
despite introducing myself as Bishop Okah. The police need to be re-orientated, they need to be re-trained and their
condition of service needs to be looked into.
I have been to the Police Headquarters in Abuja to meet with at least three past Inspector Generals of Police to let them know
my desires and vision about the Nigeria Police. This is not the first time I would be talking about this. That is why a law was
enacted to allow the police to raise its own fund. I am happy the National Assembly passed the bill because I was one of the
principal actors. Apart from the police, I can say to some extent that the judiciary has done a little better. At least the
government in power has lost some cases which makes them to show us their colours. You are aware of the recent elections
in Ondo, Edo and Rivers states, it was a shameful display. The APC chairman came out boldly to say ‘if they slap you once,
slap them twice; if they shoot one, shoot three; if they kill one, kill four. Is that a language for peace? It is not. I am preaching
to people to understand the fact that we don’t have another country, Nigeria is our only country. Even those of us that have
left this country to other countries, when you are in another man‘s country, there is going to be a day you will remember that
you are in another man’s country. Let them recruit and train more judges and recruit more police too.
Sometime ago, I suggested to this country the need for state police. It is necessary we have the federal, state and local
government police. We always pretend to be following American pattern, but we can’t implement those little things that make
America great. If Warri, for example, was in America, it would have the federal, state and local government police and there is
a way they work together. What makes authority to work together is the law and those laws should be respected and
implemented. It is dawned on state governors now that they need state police. They have seen that the Federal Government
is gaining an upper hand against them because they have no control over the police commands in their states. You say the
governor is the chief security officer of the state and he has no police, he has no army of his own and he has no guns of his
own. The governor is a ceremonial Chief Security Officer. If anybody really wants to help this country, these are the things to
be addressed and until they are addressed, I think President Buhari is just trying to make a fool out of Nigerians.
With revelations of mass looting linked to some of the cabinet members of the previous administration, is that not enough
reason to describe Jonathan’s regime as very corrupt?
Well, I will say that all said and done, Jonathan is still my political hero and I will tell you why. During the time of Jonathan,
even though I know that his government performed below average, we the enlightened Nigerians know what led to it.
Jonathan never fought for anything. From a mere politician, he became a deputy governor. Not more than two years after, he
became a governor and not more than three years after, he became a Vice President and as he stepped into Aso Rock, the
President became sick. It was not Jonathan that poisoned him and he didn’t kill him, but the man died.
Those of us who have met Jonathan, know that the man is a gentleman to the core. I could remember in one of the meetings,
he said, ‘You people want me to use my executive power. If I do that, this country will scatter.’ What is happening now? Has
the country not been divided more than when Jonathan was there as the President? Was there any Biafra’s crying for
separation when Jonathan was there? Was there militancy when Jonathan was there? But today, we have the Avengers and
Biafra agitations. The whole country is divided. I will say even though Jonathan was weak in some areas, he still remains my
political hero. If Jonathan had not accepted defeat while the 2015 election result had not been fully announced, do you think
this country would have still be around? The worst would have happened.
APC was ready to bomb this country. What pains me is that we the elite, as Paul wrote to the Galatians, appear to have been
bewitched. That is what I will ask Nigerians: What has bewitched the Nigerian elite? Because I expected that by now, people
would have been on the streets protesting, not in a violent manner because I don’t support violence. If this man is sincere, he
should give us the handover notes that were given to him. I was aware that when Jonathan was there, the agricultural sector
was doing well courtesy of those managing it. Nigeria became a country that could feed itself. Professor Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala who was in charge of the economy was picked up the day she left by those who know her worth. That shows that
Jonathan had sincere desire for Nigerians but he was not allowed to execute them. Is that not a proof of a good leader? We
need to arise, the elite and those who can enlighten Nigerians. We should speak a little louder so that the man there will
know things are no longer easy.
To former President Jonathan’s aides who agreed to stealing the country’s money, it is unfortunate for them. They are the
weeping prophets, which is very unfortunate. But all the same, I will encourage every Nigerian not to take interest in what is
not their own. The Bible has said that anybody who is diligent with the works of his hands will not stand before mean people
and I still believe in that. I, talking to you today, do you believe that there was a time I sold newspapers in Isoko? Let us go
back and if anything will make us to go back, let’s go back and learn from our forefathers.
What do you make of the bill seeking to create Christian Court in the country which has passed through second reading in the
House of Representatives?
Well, I don’t know the Christian leaders who are sponsoring the bill, but to me, it can be improved upon because law is for
human beings. The world is changing and as the world changes, you must look into the law even for us who preach the
gospel, the word of God. We try also to see how we can communicate to the society that is changing so that they can
understand the divinity of the gospel. Nigeria is a secular state, why not be contented with it? What is wrong in being a
secular state? In fact, for me alone, Jerusalem and Saudi Arabia pilgrimage issue should be self-sponsored. The Federal
Government should wash its hands off it. If anybody wants to go to Jerusalem, let him sponsor himself and let us remain a
secular state. Awolowo, Azikiwe, the founding fathers were wiser than us and less corrupt than the present Nigerians. That is
the best way I can answer that question. On the law of this country, let us improve on being a secular state.
Will the bill not cause religious unrest in the country?
It will certainly create inter-religious crisis and that is what the APC wants. I want to be very clear on this, APC wants this
country to scatter because if you see the steps they are taking, they are not of peace that can take this country. For me, it is
a secular state that Nigerians want. If we want to develop it, let’s develop it. To the brethren who had that thought that
Nigerians should have a Christian Court to adjudicate issues concerning Christians, provide jobs and all of that, can that
solve the Nigerian unemployment rate? It is not the best way to solve our problems. Let everybody practise the religion he
wants, whether it is paganism, Christianity, Islam or Ogboni fraternity. The law should be left for everyone to decide who to
serve as long as it does not oppress people.
How can the Federal Government tackle the various insecurity concerns, especially the Fulani herdsmen killings, Biafra
agitations and the militancy in Niger Delta?
The approach is simple, though it may not be easy because there is no humility. It is a humble man that leads. Nigerians are
not asking for things they don’t need to ask for. For example, in the East, they are asking for Biafra. Have you travelled to the
East where they feel they have been neglected? Since the war was over, none of their Generals has been able to hold a strong
post in the Federal Government. The first person who became the Chief of Army Staff, you see how he was almost humiliated
and if you push any human being towards the end of the wall, he would want to fight back. What you see today is militancy in
the Niger Delta and Boko Haram in the North. The Boko Haram issue is a reaction of people trying to fight back. Buhari must
do the needful so that the Christians in the Northern part of the country can feel safe. Some elements are waging war against
Christians. I receive calls from Christians even in midnight lamenting they are not safe under this government. They call me,
saying they are dying.
When shall the APC recognise that they are the players of the game and that people are watching? They know the game.
Anybody that thinks that Nigerians are fools in this 21st century, that person has made a mistake. That is why as a spiritual
man, if they themselves are not careful for ruining this country in a way that our girls have become prostitutes in western
countries, their own daughters will face the rot our daughters are facing. That is my prayer for them.
For the herdsmen, President Buhari should be sincere because he is Fulani, he should call his people to order. Two, it is unfair
for anybody to suggest that they should use government money to finance their business by creating grazing land. It is their
business. They should bring in what they see in other western countries to this country. One thing I hate in Nigerian leaders is
that they go to Dubai, they go to the UK, America and China, and instead of copying what they see there, they don’t. Let the
Fulani herdsmen create ranches for themselves. They should create where they can buy the land with their money from those
who own the land. Today in this country, human beings are becoming cheaper than cows. Do you share the view of
some Nigerians that the country is more divided than ever before?
I believe that one hundred per cent. We are much more divided. There has never been any time that Nigeria was divided than
now because there is so much oppression. Nigeria has become more or less a police state. For example, look at the South-
South, we read from newspapers and watch on television that more than 2,000 illegal refineries are destroyed. What makes
them illegal? Is it because the people operating the refineries are from the South-South region? The product of the so-called
illegal refineries is marketed, not only in this country, but to other countries. If it is marketable, why not gather them together
and bring in some experts instead of exporting the raw crude oil and importing the finished products? Why can’t we for God’s
sake have the technology to refine our products?
Human beings have brains to think. Give them some support. Give them some aids. The Igbo man, in terms of science and
technology, will bail us out of the importing madness in this country. I want Nigerians to believe in themselves and for those
who know what is right, let us be bold to say it even if it means dying. There is no human being that is not going to die; we
shall all die one day. Those in power should know they are representatives of those who put them there.

http://punchng.com/buharis-anti-corruption-fight-wont-succeed-present-police-bishop-okah/

Summarize.

Jonathan has proven to the zombie to be hero.