By Dapo Akinrefon

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, is pushing for the emergence of a Christian President in 2023, Vanguard has gathered.

Multiple sources, familiar with the workings of the Christian body, told Vanguard that there are also strong moves to thwart the possibility of a Muslim/Muslim ticket.

Note that PFN’s position is in sync with the current position of Muslim and Christian leaders in the country, who have put their weight behind the South producing President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor next year, and warned leading political parties against ceding their presidential tickets to the North.

PDP, APC zoning

After zoning their national chairmanship slots to the North, with northerners emerging as national chairmen of both parties, the leading parties have been foot-dragging on zoning the presidency to the South.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on Friday said the party had not taken a decision on zoning and did not disclose when the party would do so.

With the APC National Executive Committee, NEC, ceding its powers to the National Working Committee for 90 days, the Senator Adamu-led NWC has the power to zone APC’s offices.

Asked if the party had zoned the presidential ticket to the South, he said:  “I am today privileged to be chairman of the party.

“The party is greater than me. The party has not made a decision and I cannot pre-empt what the party’s decision will be.”

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, hierarchy is yet to take a decision on the issue.

Its committee on zoning led by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, recently recommended that the race be thrown open.

Indeed, zoning and preparations for the May 28/29 presidential primaries are expected to dominate the meeting of the PDP NEC scheduled for May 10.

The non-committal stance of both parties on zoning is eliciting criticisms.

PFN takes a position

Disturbed by the trend that jostling for the presidency is taking, PFN sources told Vanguard that the umbrella body of Pentecostal churches in the country wants a Christian President and would deliberately work against a Muslim/Muslim ticket — that is, a Muslim President and Vice President.

A source disclosed that underground moves are already underway to mobilise PFN members across the country to actualise the emergence of a Christian President in 2023.

Another source told Vanguard that the PFN had constituted a political arm, headed by Pastor Femi Popoola, to drive home the agenda.

The source said: “What the PFN is campaigning for is, regardless of where the candidate comes from, the next President must be a Christian.

“That is PFN’s position.

“Secondly, leaders of the PFN have vowed to do anything within their reach to stand against a Muslim/Muslim ticket in 2023.

“They have already started what they call political mobilisation of their members across the country.

“The PFN has instituted a political arm headed by Pastor Femi Popoola. You know he was former Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly before he became a pastor.

“So, he is heading the political arm of the PFN and it is campaigning on the propriety for members to be active participants in politics.

“The PFN does not want to leave it to the politicians alone. That is the position of the PFN.

“They have their target,” another source said.

Vanguard News