Adeyanju Condemns Peter Obi’s Renewed Church Patronage, Warns Against Politicising Religion

Deji Adeyanju Human Rights Lawyer and Activist has condemned in clear terms  Peter Obi’s renewed patronage of churches, warning that the increasing use of religion as a tool for political mobilisation could deepen divisions and pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s unity. He stressed that elections should be centred on ideas, policies and competing visions for the country rather than religious sentiments or sectional interests.

He maintained that churches and other places of worship should remain sacred spaces and should not be turned into platforms for political campaigns, gimmicks or endorsements. According to him, pastors and religious leaders should avoid giving politicians opportunities to campaign or seek political endorsements in churches, arguing that religious institutions must protect their credibility and independence.

Adeyanju also cited the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, which he said expressly prohibits the use of places of worship for political campaigns and campaigning on religious, tribal or sectional grounds. He condemned the recent gathering of religious clerics by a governor to endorse President Bola Tinubu, while also expressing concern over what he described as Peter Obi’s return to the politics of religious mobilisation that characterised the 2023 elections.

He warned that repeating the religious divisions witnessed during the 2023 election could come at a heavy cost to national cohesion, urging political actors and religious leaders to avoid actions capable of deepening existing fault lines. Adeyanju insisted that politicians should not be allowed to exploit the church for electoral gains, stressing that “all is not fair in politics,” contrary to President Tinubu’s earlier assertion.