‎Cleric asks FG to Stop killings, ease suffering before 2027 elections 

‎The founder of Dominion Chapel International Churches, Archbishop JohnPrasie Daniel, on Sunday urged the Federal Government to urgently address rising insecurity and the economic hardship triggered by high fuel prices, warning that Nigerians must be alive to participate in the 2027 general elections. ‎ ‎Speaking with journalists in Abuja at the end of a two-day […]

‎The founder of Dominion Chapel International Churches, Archbishop JohnPrasie Daniel, on Sunday urged the Federal Government to urgently address rising insecurity and the economic hardship triggered by high fuel prices, warning that Nigerians must be alive to participate in the 2027 general elections.
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‎Speaking with journalists in Abuja at the end of a two-day event marking his 66th birthday, the cleric said worsening killings and the cost-of-living crisis had put citizens under severe pressure.
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‎“I want to plead with this government that please, there is pressure in the land. There is suffering in the land. Cushion the effect of this oil crisis,” he said.
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‎Daniel linked the current fuel price surge partly to global oil market disruptions, including tensions in the Middle East, but insisted that the government must take deliberate steps to mitigate the impact on citizens.
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‎“Even though they cannot be blamed completely because this oil crisis came as a result of the Iran war, why can’t they think of how to soften the prices of oil? Because if oil prices go up, everything is affected—food is affected, transportation is affected, and the suffering continues,” he added.
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‎Nigeria has in recent months faced persistent increases in petrol prices following subsidy removal and fluctuations in global crude oil prices. The development has triggered a spike in transportation and food costs, worsening inflationary pressures and eroding household incomes.
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‎The cleric criticised political elites for being disconnected from the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
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‎“Politicians don’t know about that, they just go to the stations and then government pay. But the common man out there on the street is not finding things easy,” he said.
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‎On security, Daniel expressed concern over the rising spate of killings, kidnappings, banditry and terrorism across parts of the country, warning that the situation could undermine the electoral process if not urgently addressed.
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‎“Politics is on, election is coming, 2027, and the killings are increasing. Must they kill us all before the election will hold?” he queried.
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‎He stressed that safeguarding lives and property remains the core responsibility of government.
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‎“The primary purpose of government is the protection of lives and property. So let them do the needful. Elections will come and go, but we must live in order for us to do election,” he said.
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‎Calling for decisive action, the cleric added, “Government should stop whatever they need to do to stop this banditry, to stop this terrorism, to stop this armed robbery, this kidnapping that has become like a business in our nation.”
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‎He also urged political actors to avoid inciting violence ahead of the polls, noting that instability would ultimately be counterproductive to all stakeholders.
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‎“If you raise this agitation and people are killed, who will you rule over…? So let peace reign. Let Nigerians go to bed with their eyes closed,” he said.
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‎Also speaking, the Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), FCT chapter, Apostle Israel Abam, called on citizens to take responsibility for the country’s future by making informed choices ahead of the elections.
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‎“Elections are at the corner. The politicians are out in the game. What are we doing as a people? Are we going to wait for the bag of rice… or are we going to do right by our own experiences?” he asked.
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‎Abam urged Nigerians to reject inducement and vote based on competence and integrity.
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‎“We cannot wait for change to come from outside. We must take the bull by the horn and say no to what we don’t accept and say yes to what is good for us as a people,” he said.
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‎He emphasised that while hope is important, it must be matched with action. “Hope is good, but hope not deployed will produce nothing… Let’s rise up and do what is right and turn the hands of the clock back for our nation.”
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