• Admits reforms hurting Nigerians, promises household relief • Says 308 abductees rescued

FromJuliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, yesterday warned Christian leaders against turning their pulpits into platforms for political incitement as the battle for the 2027 elections gathers momentum, declaring that no electoral contest should threaten Nigeria’s peace and survival.

But amid government claims of improving macroeconomic stability, Akume acknowledged that Nigerians were still bearing the pain of economic reforms, admitting that recovery would mean little unless it translated into affordable food, jobs and improved household incomes.

He said the Tinubu administration recognised the sacrifices Nigerians had made and was now under pressure to ensure that improving economic indicators translated into tangible relief for families struggling with the cost of living.

“This government is focusing on recovery of household incomes from poverty and will never relent until when reform succeeds and translates to affordable food, jobs, better infrastructure, health services and dignity for the ordinary citizen.”

Akume, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the 12th Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, said government would continue to listen, make necessary adjustments and strengthen interventions for vulnerable Nigerians.

He said recent World Bank assessments pointed to improving macroeconomic stability, but stressed that the administration’s immediate challenge was converting those gains into improvements ordinary Nigerians could feel.

According to him, the Renewed Hope Agenda was focused on reducing hardship, creating opportunities, simplifying the fiscal regime and expanding interventions in education, healthcare, social protection and community resilience.

Turning to the approaching 2027 elections, Akume challenged the Church to confront vote-buying, hate speech and the weaponisation of religion and ethnicity while resisting attempts to determine electoral winners from the pulpit.

“Elections will come and go, but Nigeria must remain,” he told the bishops.

“I urge you to please refrain from turning the pulpit into an instrument of incitement instead of the sanctuary of conscience,” he said, warning that an election “must never become a war for survival.”

Akume said religious leaders wield enormous influence over millions of Nigerians and must use that power to defuse rather than deepen political tensions as campaigns intensify.

He urged the Church to promote peaceful political participation, dialogue and national unity, stressing that safeguarding the country went beyond the responsibility of conventional security agencies.

According to him, Nigeria’s security challenges could not be tackled by the military, police and intelligence agencies alone because “national security also begins with trust, social cohesion, early warning and responsible speech.”

“The Church must therefore see peace building as part of national security,” he said.

Akume said bishops and other religious leaders should speak forcefully against electoral violence, vote-buying and inflammatory rhetoric but should not allow political competition to transform places of worship into partisan battlegrounds.

On insecurity, the SGF disclosed that 308 abducted Nigerians were rescued from Kwara and Niger states in August through what he described as intelligence-led operations.

He, however, acknowledged that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts and other forms of criminal violence continued to inflict pain on families and communities.

Akume said the persistence of the threats underscored the need for stronger collaboration among security agencies, communities and religious institutions.

He described religious leaders as critical social mobilisers who could help detect brewing conflicts, promote dialogue and strengthen social cohesion before tensions degenerated into violence.

Beyond elections, security and the economy, Akume urged the Church to deepen collaboration with government in youth empowerment, education, civic responsibility, humanitarian intervention and peacebuilding.

“Government needs the moral reach of the Church and the Church needs an enabling civic environment to thrive. Above all, Nigeria needs both, to work perfectly, for the common good,” he said.

Akume reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s appreciation of the Church’s contributions to humanitarian work, peacebuilding and national cohesion before declaring the 12th Synod open.