https://nextedition.com.ng/2018/12/24/right-clergy-involved-politics/

Freedom of speech, expression, and association is the constitutional right of every citizen of a country. The right to vote and be voted for are also inalienable rights of every citizens.

Clergymen are not exempted from these rights despite the religious position they hold and the expectation from the public and followers to be above board.

It is expected that a cleric should not be biased in judgment. In politics, they are equally expected to maintain a position of neutrality and statesmanship by not favouring any particular political party or publicly endorsing a politician.

Some clerics make predictions during elections and for their efforts they receive insults especially when their predictions do not come through.

In times past, some clerics have dabbled into politics, but their stories at the end of the adventure are usually not encouraging. Even when people tend to ‘understand’ and accommodate when politicians do not live up to expectation, they are not that accommodating with clerics.

Given the pedestal on which clergy men are placed and the way politics is played in the country, is it right for clerics to be involved in politics?

Pst. Luck Richard of the Church of His Awesome Presence located at 8, Adebisi Close, off Makinde Street, Ashipa-Ayobo road; Lagos said that there was nothing wrong with clergymen getting involved in politics even though they are bound to face some challenges in their profession.

“A clergyman as a public servant is bound to uphold justice and equity in all ramifications and in situations whereby he needs to bend rules to fit a negative or unjust purpose and he refuses, he will be wrongly accused.” He recalled some clergymen who in the past had been involved in politics and succeeded, citing the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. as example.

Richard noted that clerics being involved in politics can use their offices to effect positive change. He therefore suggested that clergymen could contest for positions such as Councillorship, Local Government Chairmanship, Senate or either House of Assembly or representatives, but insisted that a person must be schooled enough to know all that is happening around him so as to be able to run both offices well without partiality.