Church Leaders Urged to Reject Political Endorsements, Protect Spiritual Integrity of Nigerian Pulpit!
A renewed call has been made for church leaders in Nigeria to remain non-partisan and resist the growing temptation to turn pulpits and worship centres into platforms for political endorsements, campaign messaging or partisan mobilisation.
The call reflects a wider debate over the increasingly visible intersection of religion and politics in Nigeria, particularly as the country moves towards the 2027 general elections. Clerics and church leaders have been urged to maintain the spiritual independence of their institutions while continuing to speak on issues of governance, justice, accountability and the welfare of citizens.
The concern is that when churches openly align themselves with political parties or candidates, they risk weakening their moral authority, dividing congregations and compromising the confidence that worshippers place in religious leadership.
The issue gained renewed national attention following a series of controversies surrounding politicians’ appearances at church services and the use of religious platforms for political messages.
One of the most prominent interventions came from Bishop Charles Ighele, General Superintendent of Holy Spirit Mission, who warned that churches should not sacrifice their spiritual mandate for political relevance or proximity to power.
In comments reported by The Nation, Ighele argued that the pulpit should remain dedicated primarily to spiritual instruction rather than political campaigning. He warned that allowing politicians to use church platforms for partisan purposes could create divisions among worshippers because members of the same congregation may support different political parties and candidates. (The Nation Newspaper)
According to the cleric, the church has a responsibility to remain a unifying institution rather than become another arena for political competition.
His position is particularly significant in the context of Nigeria’s politically charged environment, where religious institutions command substantial public influence and political actors frequently seek engagement with faith communities.
Anglican Church’s intervention
The debate intensified in July 2025 after the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, introduced guidelines restricting political activities during church services.
The directive, signed by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Revd Henry Ndukuba, followed controversy surrounding remarks made by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike during a thanksgiving service at St James’ Anglican Church in Asokoro, Abuja.
Reports by Vanguard, The Guardian, Premium Times, TheCable and BusinessDay confirmed that the Anglican Church subsequently moved to prevent politicians and government officials from using its pulpits and lecterns for political messaging. (The Guardian Nigeria)
The Church said the guidelines were designed to address concerns over the politicisation of worship and to protect the integrity of Christian gatherings.
Under the guidelines, church leaders and officiants were cautioned against conduct that could be interpreted as partisan or sectional. Political figures could still attend services and participate in church activities, but the Church stressed that worship centres should not become platforms for political propaganda.
The Church also advised against excessive praise or glorification of political guests and said the lectern, which is consecrated for the reading and preaching of God’s Word, should not ordinarily be used by guests for political speeches. (The Guardian Nigeria)
The intervention illustrates the distinction between engaging government on matters affecting society and openly supporting particular political actors.
Politics and the pulpit
Nigeria’s democratic system gives citizens the right to participate in politics, including members of the clergy. However, religious institutions occupy a distinctive position because they serve congregations made up of people with different political identities and interests.
For church leaders, therefore, the challenge is not necessarily whether they should discuss public affairs, but how they can do so without transforming the church into a partisan organisation.
A church can encourage citizens to vote, demand accountability from public officials, speak against corruption, advocate peaceful elections and educate worshippers about their civic responsibilities without endorsing a particular candidate.
This distinction has also been recognised in wider discussions on religion and political participation. Research examining clerical involvement in elections has noted that non-partisan civic engagement can include voter education, promoting peaceful elections and speaking against injustice, without instructing worshippers to support a specific candidate or political party. (Loyola School of Theology)
The distinction is important for Nigeria, where political affiliations can be deeply divisive.
A pastor who publicly endorses one candidate may unintentionally alienate members who support another candidate. Over time, such divisions can affect relationships within congregations and weaken the church’s ability to serve as a trusted space for people across political lines.
Protecting the church’s moral authority
The argument for non-partisanship is also rooted in the need to preserve the church’s independence.
When religious leaders become closely associated with political figures, questions may arise about whether their subsequent criticism of those politicians is genuinely independent.
A church that openly campaigns for a candidate may also find itself under pressure to defend that candidate after the election, even when government policies or conduct conflict with the church’s stated moral principles.
This creates what observers describe as a credibility dilemma.
The church’s influence is strongest when it can challenge both government and opposition without being perceived as acting on behalf of one political camp.
Bishop Ighele has previously drawn a distinction between being interested in politics and being involved in partisan politics. In an earlier interview with The Nation, he explained that while he closely follows political developments, he personally does not identify with partisan politics. He also acknowledged that Christians and ministers may have different callings regarding political participation. (The Nation Newspaper)
That distinction remains relevant as Nigeria approaches another major electoral cycle.
Churches can engage without endorsing candidates
Remaining non-partisan does not mean religious institutions should remain silent on national issues.
Nigeria’s churches have historically participated in conversations about corruption, insecurity, poverty, unemployment, human rights, social justice and good governance. Religious leaders can continue to raise these issues while allowing individual worshippers to make their own electoral decisions.
The challenge is to ensure that advocacy is based on principles rather than personalities.
For example, a church can demand credible elections without directing its members to vote for a particular party. It can call for competent leadership without publicly declaring one candidate to be God’s preferred choice. It can condemn corruption without turning the pulpit into a campaign platform.
Such an approach could strengthen the church’s role as a moral voice while reducing the risk of political capture.
The Church of Nigeria’s position similarly emphasised that the institution can engage with government and provide counsel to people in authority while maintaining its spiritual mandate. The Guardian reported that the Anglican guidelines were intended to preserve neutrality while allowing the Church to continue its engagement on national issues. (The Guardian Nigeria)
Lessons ahead of 2027
With the 2027 elections approaching, the question of religion and politics is likely to become increasingly prominent.
Political parties and candidates will continue seeking support from influential community leaders, including religious figures. Churches, in turn, will face pressure from members who may want their leaders to take explicit political positions.
The responsibility of church leadership will therefore extend beyond simply rejecting political endorsements. Churches may need clear internal rules governing political visits, public speeches, campaign-related activities and the use of church facilities.
Such guidelines could help prevent individual political figures from using worship services for campaigning while ensuring that legitimate civic discussions are conducted fairly and transparently.
Where churches choose to organise political forums, equal access to competing candidates and parties could help maintain neutrality. Discussions should focus on policies, programmes and public accountability rather than personal attacks.
The experience of the Anglican Church demonstrates that institutional rules can provide a framework for managing the relationship between religious communities and political actors.
The broader lesson is that political participation and spiritual independence do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Churches can remain active in national conversations without becoming partisan institutions.
Wengglobal perspective
For Nigeria’s religious institutions, the coming electoral period presents an opportunity to reaffirm the distinction between moral leadership and partisan political activism.
The church has an important role to play in encouraging responsible citizenship, peaceful elections, accountability and ethical leadership. But that role can be undermined when the pulpit becomes identified with a particular candidate or political party.
A non-partisan church does not have to be a silent church. It can challenge government policies, condemn injustice and demand accountability while maintaining equal distance from competing political interests.
The central issue is therefore not whether the church should care about Nigeria’s political future. It should. Rather, the question is whether it can remain sufficiently independent to speak truthfully to power regardless of who occupies political office.
As Nigeria prepares for 2027, protecting that independence may prove essential to preserving public confidence in religious institutions.
The message from the growing number of voices calling for restraint is clear: churches should remain places where Nigerians of different political persuasions can worship together without being compelled to adopt the political preferences of their spiritual leaders.
For wengglobal, the preservation of this boundary is not merely a question of church protocol. It is also a matter of institutional credibility, democratic maturity and public trust.
Sources
- The Nation — “No politics in the pulpit: Nigerian churches push back on partisan preaching.” (The Nation Newspaper)
- The Guardian Nigeria — “Anglican Church sets new protocols, bans politicians from podium.” (The Guardian Nigeria)
- Vanguard — “After Wike’s comments, Anglican Church bans politicians from podium.” (Vanguard News)
- Premium Times — “After Wike’s partisan speech, Anglican Church bans politicians from podium.” (Premium Times Nigeria)
- TheCable — “Anglican church bars political rhetoric in services — days after Wike’s remarks.” (TheCable)
- BusinessDay — “Anglican Church bars politicians from pulpit after Wike’s thanksgiving.” (Business Day)
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