I don’t see a credible election happening —Iyunade

Pastor Sunday Iyunade, the President, Pentecostal Sanctuary Bible Ministry (Worldwide), spoke with BAYO ALADE on the coming elections, the nation and sundry issues. Excerpts.

Recently the Nigeria Police Force PPRO, Frank Uba, said those stealing ladies’ underwear for rituals cannot be prosecuted because “it is not empirically veritable’’. What do you think could be done to stop the menace?

Since it is a spiritual thing the police can do nothing. They can’t handle it. They can only prosecute them for stealing. It is the sign of end time. The devil is really at work. He is enslaving people especially in the area of money rituals. In Mathew 24, the Bible talks about wickedness increasing every day. The society is being polluted everyday as a new strategy of the devil to destroy many people but the consequences are grave. Many of the ritualists will run mad for life.

We need prayers and the evildoers need prayer too because most of them do not know the weight of the consequences of what they are doing. We (pastors) must pray to God to change their mind for good.

Vote for APC if you want rail line in Ibadan —Amaechi

As a revered cleric, whose predictions usually come to pass, what’s your prediction for the coming elections?

There’s going to be a shambolic election.  Even within their parties, they rigged themselves out. If you fail to belong to their caucus, you cannot win primaries. The selected ones are not the choice of the party members and during their primaries, they bought party leaders and even bought the law enforcement agents.

There will be rigging “up and down” and if the care is not taken, there will be problemS in some places, including bloodshed.

If there was no free and fair primary elections, don’t expect free and fair general election. What you don’t have, you can’t give. In simple language this government cannot organise a credible election. I predict that there would not be any free and fair election.

How will you score President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance?

Well, when we talk of integrity, all what they said they were going to do is not what they are doing now. All their promises have not been fulfilled. What they promised is different from what’s on ground.

What do you expect to be the government’s priority for now?

Security and economy; these will address many problems confronting us everyday. When there’s good security and economic buoyancy, there will be peace.

Who would you direct your followers to vote for?

I won’t ask them to vote for a particular person. I will only ask them to vote for whoever they think is the right candidate. Most of my church members are enlightened – lawyers, doctors, captains of industry; they know the right person to vote for. I cannot dictate to them.

But if the contestants visit you and ask for your support and blessing, would you support them?

I will pray for them and if their going there is to serve with sincerity, Almighty God will answer their prayer. But if they are planning to go there to embezzle money, they will not be elected.

On the issue of the men of God using choppers, what is bad in it?

Let us say the truth. Pastors having many branches all over the nations, what the you think is best required for him to travel around? Do you want me as the President and General Overseer of Pentecostal Sanctuary Bible Ministries to be riding on bicycle? How will I deliver the gospel to the world? We need a good means of transport because all the ministries should be visited often to be able to spread the gospel.

Many of our followers pity us and try their best to make sure they reduce the stress we encounter by giving us cars, build house for us and so on. Some Nigerians think we don’t need an aircraft. I know what I’m facing from one airport to the other. If I have a jet, it will be easier. A jet is not a luxury for people like me.

Lastly, your prediction for election in Ogun State

The ruling party will determine who to succeed them. Look at the elections in Ekiti and Osun.states. Our electoral laws are not followed. Our electoral ideology is different from that of other countries in the world. We are far behind other nations. I don’t see any conclusive elections.

Your message to the electorate

Vote your conscience and don’t collect money so that when the wrath of God comes, you will not be among the people to be punished. Everybody should go out and vote; they should not sit on the fence.