Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike Tuesday told the church to avoid leaders who use their congregation for politics during elections.
The governor observed that some politicians only remember the church during elections when they visit worship centres to profess their Christian faith.
Wike gave the advice at the inauguration of Archdeacon Crowther Memorial Girls School (ACMGS) Road and Adjoining Roads in Elelenwo Town of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area yesterday.
The governor said he had remained committed to his pledge of standing with the church at all time, defending, supporting the growth and expansion of its missionary activities.
He explained that his position was borne out of his conviction that the church’s consistent and fervent prayers to God had helped his administration to succeed.
The governor said: “The church should always identify with those who from the beginning had always worked with them. Not with those, when election comes, they come and talk to you that they are Christians.
“Christianity is not only during election. Christianity should be done from the outset; you have to show that you’re a Christian.”
Wike thanked the church for its ceaseless prayers for his administration and for supporting the emergence of the Rivers governor-elect, the deputy governor-elect, National Assembly and State Assembly members-elect during the 2023 general election.
He said: “The church should understand those who believe in them, who trust them, who will work with them, not only when it comes to politics that people will now run to the church, no. That is why I’ve told the church to be careful of politicians who will want to use the church.”
Wike recalled how deplorable the road leading to Archdeacon Crowther Memorial Girls School was and how it had frustrated socioeconomic activities in the area.
He said the church leadership persistently drew his attention to the need to rehabilitate the road, pointing out: “But I’m happy that businesses have come back here. Tenants have come back. No house is empty, they’ve all occupied them. Again, this is promise made, promise fulfilled.”
Wike said that though ACMGS is owned by the Anglican Communion, his administration would totally rehabilitate its structures and learning materials to restore the school to path of glory.
“We are donating to the school, the sum of N500m so that we can bring up the school because ACMGS is a prominent school in this State and in this country,” he said.
The governor also announced the reconstruction of internal roads within Elelenwo Town to serve as a parting gift to the community and to appreciate their unwavering support to his administration since inception.
The governor described House of Representative member Kingsley Chinda (Obio Akpor Federal Constituency) as a dependable political representative, who had demonstrated uncommon loyalty.
He said: “He will never fail you. He is not one of these people whose one leg is here, the other is there. Okey Chinda is not like that and I am proud to recommend him to anywhere in this world because he is somebody you depend on and then go home and sleep with your two eyes closed. It is rare to get people like that.”
Special Projects Commissioner Deinma Iyalla gave the length of the road as 2.25km and its width as 6.8 meters with 2.2 kilometres long drains.