Christy Anyanwu
One of the die-hard Buharists and the General Overseer of Soul Winning Chapel, Lagos, Rev Dr Moses Iloh has developed cold feet about President Muhammadu Buhari. Prior to the 2015 presidential election, Rev Iloh had canvassed votes for the president.
Then he believed that Buhari was the only person that could change and turn things around in Nigeria. He would take time to tell anyone who cared to listen to him about Buhari’s antecedents as military head of state, how he fought corruption, promoted law and order in Nigeria and all that. But today, the octogenerian has totally changed his opinion about Buhari and has advised the president to resign and not bother coming for a second term.
Iloh, who spoke to Sunday Sun in his office gave reasons for his change of mind and new opinion just as he also talked about other issues.
You were a Buharist before now. You campaigned for him, then why did you have a change of heart?
The point is this. The Buhari I was campaigning for was the Buhari I so much cherished and appreciated as the military general who was the head of state. That Buhari was to me was like an idol because he went straight to deal with corruption. I looked round all those who wanted to contest the election then; I do not see any that can really fight corruption. I didn’t see any of the candidates then. When I knew that Buhari was coming, I said okay, for what I knew of him, if he gets a good assistance, he will do exactly what Nigeria is praying for. Now, we campaigned, we struggled, and we got it. The problem then I discovered was that I should have known but it doesn’t really matter, is that there’s a lot of difference between a military regime and democracy. Now, when he was doing those good things, he has the military might to veto anything. You don’t ask questions you rather do it or they shoot you . But in a democracy you are to go through this process and that process. This must have slowed him down. I also felt that as president now, he must have been blackmailed by the fear of this democracy and impeachments. I think people around him must have tried to put some fear in him that look, you can be impeached if you do certain things without coming to the House of Representatives or Senate. My understanding later is that Buhari cannot fight corruption because corruption is a spiritual issue.
Corruption is of the devil and I don’t think he understands the difference between the devil and righteousness. But he has done a very good job for which I still praise him. What Buhari has done is that he has succeeded in exposing corruption. Without Buhari, none of us could have known that a snake can swallow money, a goat can swallow money. Buhari came and exposed all these. I believe that in Buhari present regime he has been able to reputably establish a very powerful exposition of corruption. We knew Nigeria was corrupt, but we didn’t know it was as corrupt as this. Now, we know that in NNPC, women can go there and buy houses, buy planes; we don’t know all these things happen. But Buhari’s regime has exposed all these but again, he has done nothing about it.
Which again, confirms my assessment of him that he has done a good job exposing corruption but he is not capable of fighting corruption. If there’s another election, Nigerians should think of someone who can really fight corruption. Now, we are hearing of snake swallowing money, money are buried in houses, cemetery… it’s disgraceful. I have looked round all those who are likely to contest the next election there’s not one I see that can fight corruption. Right now I’m very unhappy because of the election because I do not see any Nigeria from those who are in politics who can fight corruption. I’m writing a book, it’s almost ready now; I want to pursue the eclectic network. I am trying to pursue them to have a calling for third party not for 2019 but 2023.
But 2023 is far?
I’m thinking so too. It’s too far. Things would have spoilt badly before then. I want to write a letter of appeal to all the eclectic members and ask them to consider, could we register the party now. I learnt they have gone to register party in Abuja. Maybe somebody will help us to register our own. What Nigerians need now if Nigeria must survive is a Third Party that has nothing to do with the past. Not Obasanjo bringing party that it’s a third party. They are the same old people recycling . This is where I stand with Buhari, I still support him but I do not think that he is able to fight corruption. So, if he campaigned based on fighting corruption I won’t vote for him. He has exposed corruption but what have we done with it? Now, we need a party that has courage to fight corruption.
So you don’t see any candidate yet for the 2019 election?
I have seen no Nigerian who can be president in this forthcoming election. And I’m not going to vote either because there is no candidate for me. Of all the people parading themselves now, I don’t see any who can be president. I’m not going g to vote either because there’s no candidate for me.
What if Buhari comes out again?
If Buhari wants to come out again, I doubt if I will vote for him. Reasons being that he cannot fight corruption but he did very well by exposing corruption. I think he should retire. I don’t think he can fight corruption. Let’s get someone else.
But where is this someone going to come from?
Let me tell you what politics and corruption is like… Politics is the proper management of the affairs of men. In Nigeria, you come into politics and we are told the thief cometh not but for to steal, kill and destroy. This is Nigerian politics and all those coming are coming in to steal, to kill, to destroy the economy and the poor. But we believe that if I can persuade the eclectic network and show them proofs that we can get some good people to come in. The Bible also says I have come that they may have life and have life more abundantly. There are so much natural wealth, God’s gift in this country but nobody is letting go the poor man get something out of it. If we can get people who may not have been in politics for long but if you look at those who have been in politics before there’s not one I will vote for.
What kind of people are in these eclectic movement?
Eclectic comprises ordinary people, big people, students, teachers, engineers, legal people, judges, engineers, we have people from all classes who believe in what eclectic wants to do. But we have not been able to tell them that we are going into politics. We are interested into politics to shape things but now we found out that if Nigeria does not have a third party we are going to get back into square one. The network wants to campaign for candidates. You wait, if the youths and people around you know you have integrity, you have courage, you have ability they will come and tell us.
Then we come to you to plead with you, sister, brother, we heard you have a good reputation, courage and integrity. Could you please be kind enough to come out to contest election? We will campaign for you; we will go and raise the money for you. There might be areas you want to add more to your campaign we won’t stop you but we want to come and recruit you and take you as our candidate and go out to establish you. I will start talking to all my top leaders to persuade them to consider that we should not allow this 2019 to go for nothing. We should start something. We know some men and women who will come into politics for the purpose of looking after the poor and changing the situation, not to steal and destroy the economy.
How do you see Buhari’s visit to Benue State and the view of some people that he went there late?
You see, I still love Buhari and I will always love him. But you don’t say because you love a person who is an athlete that can do 100 yards and you take him to the boxing ring and ask him to fight a boxing champion because he can run. That is the way I look at it now. Buhari is not a politician at all. Some go into politics for one of two things. Some go to steal, kill and destroy the economy and deprive the poor man of ordinary water to drink. All going into politics to use your intelligence and your wits to be sure that the poor man benefits from the abundant natural wealth of Nigeria. Children go to school free. Good education, because Nigeria is rich enough but very seldom will you find a Nigerian going into politics to make the poor fellow comfortable. That is why we are going to campaign for our candidate. We see you are not the type that will kill and destroy the poor we will plead with you to come. Benue State, the president handled it very badly. He went late; he should not have accused the Inspector General for not obeying him. That IG has lost respect in Nigeria, his integrity is not there. And then you turn and wonder what president do you have that instructs the IG and the IG disobeys and the president does nothing. I think Buhari made a mistake and that’s why I’m worried about him. I’m worried about him in the sense that who advises him to make these mistakes; because I believe that people use democracy and impeachment to blackmail him and subdue him. Buhari has lost that guile, that tough fellow he used to be. If I were Buhari I won’t run the second term.
But Obasanjo warned him?
It depends on how you talked to the man about it. Obasanjo approach is very wrong and hostile. You go to the man privately as your friend or colleague and discuss with him. You tell him what his problems are and he should know you that you know better and you advise him and encourage him to go again because he won’t repeat the mistake. When you come out and told him that he should not contest anymore, then it’s destructive and I don’t believe in that.
The killings in the North are mostly targeted at Christians. What are the CAN, PFN doing about this?
The time has past for Christians to keep calling themselves Christians and Christianity. Christianity is not a religion, it doesn’t even exist what exists is the disciples of Jesus Christ, you follow him and do as he did. A man who so loved us that he went to the cross. Go and make disciples he never says go and make Christians. He never called us Christians. If we can raise disciples of Jesus Christ and put them for politics, Nigeria will be a good country tomorrow. A Christian in politics will kill, steal and destroy. Christianity is not a religion. Let’s look at how Jesus lived his life, how he treated other people, lets be like him. He had only 12 people with him as disciples and he changed the world. Then somebody will go and consult an occultic. A man who is in the church as your bishop is a magician, how can you have God there. God is clean and pure. He said call me and I will answer and show you great and marvelous things. When you are with your God nobody can touch you. He is mighty in battle.
Do you still believe in Nigeria?
Oh yes. I do. How many countries are greater than us? And that is what the devil does not like. So, what does he do? He offers us money, men, women who go out and mess up the whole thing. No one is able to say that man can contest election as president. We are almost 200 million people no one. As soon as you, the first thing is to talk about your tribe, where you come from, are you a Christian or Moslem? All rubbish, because they are ignorant. But when we select you, we will give you all the backing. It won’t be by might, it won’t be by power, and it should be by the spirit of God. This is a country that God loves.
Do you believe in a woman candidate as president?
Oh yes, for me, I believe there’s no difference between male and female. We make the women inferior and the women make themselves inferior too. Who is the queen of England? Woman. Who is the Prime Minister of England? Woman. Who is the Prime Minister of Germany? Woman. A woman just handed over Liberia to the footballer. There are good women, respect them. The way you see women the first thing your mind go into is to take her to bed. That’s the devil and I believe in equality. Women and men are equal. Women, use your God given talents let’s support you just say that my colleagues will not say time is too short to do 2019 elections.