Presidential Candidate of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, says the country’s biggest problem is poverty.
Makinde said this while reacting to his recognition as Christian Icon of the Year, by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Abuja, on Saturday.
He said the honour presented an opportunity to encourage Christians to take active role in politics where they can shape the country’s political and economic future.
He cautioned against the tendency among many Christians to avoid politics because of the notion that it is a dirty game or at variance with their religious beliefs.
Makinde said Christians must move beyond such perceptions and recognise politics as an important platform for contributing to national development and addressing the challenges confronting the people.
He urged them to draw inspiration from biblical examples of individuals who served in difficult circumstances in order to advance the work of God and the people.
The governor said the biblical account offered an important lesson for Christians who might be reluctant to serve in political environments because of the religious beliefs of those in authority.
He argued that religious considerations should not prevent them from participating in governance or contributing their expertise and values to the transformation of society.
‘I will use this opportunity to encourage our Christian brothers and sisters across the country to rise and participate in the agenda to transform Nigeria and reset our country,’ Makinde said.
He maintained that Nigeria’s most pressing challenge was the widespread poverty confronting millions of people, stressing that national attention should focus on addressing the economic difficulties affecting the population.
‘Our problem is not primarily a religious one. Our problem in this country is poverty, grinding poverty,’ he said.
Makinde said the country could not afford to lose sight of the urgent socioeconomic issues requiring attention by allowing religious differences to dominate national conversations.
The governor stressed that the task of national transformation required collective participation, irrespective of religious affiliations, political differences or personal convictions.