By Media360Impact
Abuja — Human rights lawyer and political commentator, Deji Adeyanju, has condemned what he described as Peter Obi’s renewed patronage of churches, warning that the continued mixing of religion and politics could further deepen divisions in Nigeria.
Adeyanju said elections should be centred on ideas, policies and competing visions for the country, rather than religious mobilisation or political campaigns in places of worship.
In a statement, he argued that religion and politics should not be allowed to become instruments of division, stressing that churches should remain sacred spaces rather than platforms for political campaigns or endorsements.
“The church is not a place for political campaigns or political gimmicks, and politicians are not pastors,” Adeyanju said.
He also called on pastors and other religious leaders to stop providing politicians with platforms to campaign or seek endorsements during church gatherings.
According to him, the Electoral Act 2026 expressly prohibits the use of places of worship for political campaigns and also bars campaigning on religious, tribal or sectional grounds.
Adeyanju further criticised the reported gathering of religious clerics by a governor to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the development as condemnable.
He, however, said it was equally troubling to see Obi allegedly returning to what he described as the politics of religious mobilisation that contributed to divisions among Nigerians during the 2023 elections.
“At what cost will it be when we continue to divide ourselves along religious lines using the weapon of politics?” he asked.
Adeyanju warned that the precedent set during the 2023 elections should not be repeated or worsened, urging religious leaders to protect the sanctity of places of worship by refusing to platform politicians for political purposes.
“Pastors must desist from platforming politicians if they are to retain their respect and keep the house of God sacred,” he said.
He concluded by rejecting the notion that political competition justifies every tactic, stating: “All is not fair in politics. All is not fair in politics like President Tinubu wrongly said.”
