The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Edo Region 13 headquarters (Trinity Sanctuary) in Benin City, Edo State has been converted to the PDP campaign office of Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the September 10 election.
Banners of the PDP and its candidate adorn all the walls of the church only the altar is spared the disgrace.
Regional Pastor of the Church in Edo State, Pastor James Dagunduro and other ministers in the RCCG who should preach Christ and convert sinners now preach Ize-Iyamu on the altar.
The Regional Pastor, we learnt, has given instructions to parish pastors to canvass for Mr. Ize-Iyamu in their parishes, a situation which is causing ripples in the church.
Two campaign jingles of Mr. Ize-Iyamu were repeatedly played in the teenage Church of Trinity Sanctuary on Sunday 21st August and no other message was preached to the teenagers.
A Minister in the Church (names withheld) who complained that the church was being turned into a political arena was reprimanded and shut down.
A member of the congregation who lamented the sudden development in the church told this reporter that a Minister who dared to voice his objection to the development has been transferred over the development.
It was learnt that Provincial Pastors in the church now hold meetings on the Ize-Iyamu project against the interest of their parishioners who are averse the PDP and its candidate.
Many parishioners and members of other parties who can’t stand the new development are leaving the church in droves as they see it as a strange doctrine in the church.
Many see the Ize-Iyamu project as an extension of the failed Government of former Mr Lucky Igbinedion, who ran the state aground from 1999 to 2007.
It would be recalled that Mr. Ize-Iyamu, who is a Zonal Pastor in the Church, had confessed to the EFCC to have collected N700 million from the Dasuki arms money and shared among his party chieftains, and nothing has been heard from the Edo church in condemnation of this.
Recall that in the Presidential election of 2015, General Overseer of the Church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye did not openly canvass for President Buhari and Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibajo in spite of the fact that Prof Osibajo is a Senior Pastor in the RCCG who ministers at the Holy Ghost Services and Conventions of the Church.
Aggrieved members of the Church are now calling on the respected General Overseer of the Church, Pastor EA Adeboye, who is known to be very strict with workers in the Church, to wade into the Edo Church before things go completely out of hand.
