Apostle Eugene Ogu is the General Overseer of the Abundant Life Evangel Mission, ALEM, one of the biggest Pentecostal churches in Rivers State. Ogu, at different times, served as the state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN. In this interview, he dismisses President Bola Tinubu’s assertion that his government has ended corruption in Nigeria.

By indications, the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state may resume office on September 18. Do you think this date is realistic?

Talking about Nigeria, there is nothing in this country that appears real. The truth you are meant to believe, if you x-ray it, it Is not even the truth. We are all living by the grace of God and we believe that someday God will give Nigeria and Rivers State the reality of true governance. Whatever is happening or had happened in Rivers State is the making of Tinubu and no one else. People think (Nyesom) Wike has a hand in all of these happenings, well, Wike is an employee of the president. The president takes responsibility for everything that happens in the country. Whatever that is going on in any state of the country is the making of the president. Was it Wike that removed the governor? Of course it was the president who did. The buck stops on his table. The day he was sworn-in, he made a statement that changed the country till date. There was a president and Nigeria had a bearable economy. But Tinubu came in and made a statement and few hours later Nigeria changed. Up till today, Nigeria has not recovered from that situation. The president of this country has shown that he can make and he can mar. Anything he wants to change, he can make it happen with the backing of the court and his Attorney General. There are certain things that the Attorney General is supposed to make statement on but he is not doing that. Until we Nigerians are ready to make a change, we will stay by the ‘Rivers of Babylon’. We will be there weeping until we decide to say enough of the mockery. We are being mocked around the nations of the world, even African countries. Take for instance, the other time Ghanaians were protesting that Nigerians should leave their country. Is it that bad? This is because we have people in leadership position who use the system to suppress the people from talking. The truth is that the Church is also an accomplice in this whole thing because of carrot and cucumber from Government House. If the leaders of the Church do not speak out now, a time will come when the uproar will consume even the churches. When that time comes, anywhere they see a church, the people will shut it down until the country gets better.

President Tinubu said his administration has stopped corruption in Nigerian and he is no more borrowing. What do you make out of those statements?

This administration has become a Pollywood. You know that you have Hollywood in America and Nollywood in Nigeria. Pollywood in the sense that Mr. President says things without knowing he is speaking to human beings. I heard him say no more borrowing but the following day he requested for billions of dollars from the National Assembly. They take Nigerians for granted. Nigeria owes trillions in foreign debt. I don’t think they understand the plight of the people in this country. They don’t even seem to have a direction where they are heading. You can’t just wake up and say the Ministry of Finance should give 200 million Nigerians N100, 000 each. How does that solve the country’s problem? How do they identify these 200 million Nigerians or are they using a ploy to gather money for election in 2027? Our roads from South to North, East to West are not good. You are doing a Coastal Road that will cost N13 trillion and the people living there are telling you that there is nothing happening there. I don’t listen to this government again because everything is lie. Fuel price Is going up and you are taking money and subsidizing the dollars to the tune of over N1, 500 maybe for election. The only way to strengthen the naira is by production and export. Not borrowing money. I hope that we learn our lessons in 2026 and take action by 2027. If we don’t learn our lesson now, then what happens later will be something else. There must be complete electoral reforms that will guarantee that the votes of Nigerians count. I will mobilize to ensure that there is electoral reform in this country. I call on all pastors to rise up and help this country. Nigerians are suffering. I don’t think President Tinubu knows what is called poverty and I don’t even think that he is close to poor people. The country is in a very big mess. All the corrupt leaders know themselves. The only escape route for them is a free and sincere election in 2027. Our soldiers and police men are being killed anyhow and every day too. This is a country that loses more people than countries that are at war. They are making laws that have nothing to do with the welfare of the people. They are rather making laws that can protect them, laws that will make people to stop talking about them. How many years do they think they have to live? The only think they can do for people to forgive them is to make sure there is electoral reform. What is happening in Rivers State is a disgrace. How can a military person organize an election in a democracy?

The leadership of CAN and PFN in Rivers State visited the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas. Was that not a sign of endorsement by the Church of undemocratic administration?

I condemned that act. During my time as leader of CAN and PFN, they wouldn’t have seen me there. We don’t recognize him (Ibas). I rebuked some of the leaders who visited him when they came here. The Church should have a position. Any Church leader that goes for everything knows what he is going for, not the work of the Kingdom of God. There is no government in Rivers State. We were told that Sim was elected. That is the person that should be recognized. Look at how dirty Port Harcourt is. Is there any project going on in Rivers? Everything is stalled because there is no government. The government has been in suspension. Where has a military person ever organized election in a democracy? Whatever they did in Rivers State, the court must reverse it someday it does not matter how long it takes. The court must find a way to expunge that mess from the history of the state.

There are strong indications that former President Goodluck Jonathan may seek re-election in 2027. Are you one of those supporting the call and what are your expectations either way?

Jonathan should just maintain the respect he got from handing over power voluntarily when he lost the election in 2015. Nigerian situation does not require a very calm person like Jonathan. Nigeria requires strict person to the core, a man who will not be moved by sentiment or tribe or family. I listened to Peter Obi that he didn’t give contracts to his family members. I have never heard that kind of a thing before. Jonathan should not spoil the name he earned. That respect he has is an asset to him. It was only a man like Nelson Mandela that can contest such an election and win. Anybody pushing him does not mean well for Jonathan. Let him support somebody to contest and remain in the position of statesmen like Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and others.

You have Mr Peter Obi, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar up against Tinubu for 2027 presidency. In this pack, who do you think the Church should root for?

We need a principled and disciplined person who has feelings for the plight of Nigerians. But at this point, I don’t have any name. I believe that when the time comes, whoever emerges, Nigerians will know what to do. But I can assure you that Tinubu is not an answer to our problems. Our prayer is that he does not win in 2027.

It was widely rumored that Tinubu didn’t win the 2023 election. What do you think should be done so that such situation does not repeat itself in 2027?

Mark my words, in 2026, APC will almost become a desert. All these people moving into the party now just want to protect themselves. The Church is an accomplice but not the driver of the problems we are facing in Nigeria. Some Church leaders are even ashamed to speak now. Those who supported this regime are now afraid to speak. They can’t believe what they have seen. What they spoke as revelation from God means that God didn’t tell them anything. Any pastor that says this country is better than before, let him come out publicly. People should know that we have come to the end of the road and we must chart a way out of this quagmire. A lot of people are anxiously waiting for 2027. I am ready to serve in any capacity if my people want me to do so. Under my leadership as president general of my community in Imo State, God is using us to do so much there. We have given scholarships to so many people including those from other churches. That is how to serve God. (Sunday Vanguard)