FEEDBACK: The elation of Christ Apostolic Church on the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Writes Pastor John Agbaje

In a swift reaction to a story earlier published by PTL News, an ordained minister of the Christ Apostolic Church, John O.B. Agbaje sent in this response. Read, digest and lift up Professor Joash Amupitan and Nigeria, more in your prayers.

The Christ Apostolic Church membership of the newly appointed INEC chairman has been screaming through the media pages and various social platforms of the church. This is especially the case since his clearance by the Senate and confirmation by the presidency. The fact that someone of this titanic status is emerging from our midst, no doubt, calls for appreciation to God and joy in our identification with the man of the moment in the spirit of love and solidarity.

I have had no reason to pick any hole with the euphoria or felt anyhow miffed about it all until this morning, when a full-blown story, anchored by Praise The Lord (PTL) Christian Media, captioned “When a CAC Man Becomes Nigeria’s Chief Electoral Umpire” provoked my reflex action that is giving rise to this piece. The article of PTL was a long and winding write-up which also attracted reactions from the members of the church. As expected, most such reactions range from personal congratulatory to goodwill messages to Prof. Amupitan, some with prayers for a successful tenure.

My immediate detection from the whole venture, both before and even more after I had read through the piece, was the total neglect of the issues of real concern that should have called for soberness.

But first, let me, like other joyous members, begin with sincere and hearty felicitation with a professor of our own family who is being raised to such a high podium in a nation of Nigerian status. The Bible so enjoins us to rejoice with any member who secures such recognition and elevation that no one may object to any or all the ecstasy that has been pouring forward, so far. Thus, we give all praise and glory to God, just as we also celebrate and congratulate Prof. Amupitan on this occasion.
Going from here, however, you will permit me to state that more of the trumpet blowing about this appointment should have been reserved till the successful completion of his tenure in the delicate administration of one of the institutions that the devil has used to veer the ship of the nation out of course. King Ahab of northern Israel counselled King Benhadad of Syria that he who is wearing his battle armour should not boast as the one that is putting it off. And now, except God will show up for us and the time has come for Him to step into the murky waters of Nigeria, I may not see anything beyond the ordinary in the jubilations of the moment.

I recall sharing two days ago an appeal to a few of the CAC members within my immediate reach to stir up their spirits and for them begin to lift our professor before God. Except those who will naively pretend that they don’t know what the Nigeria of today has degenerated to, what anyone should see here is a trap by
which an innocent soul will be drawn into the mire and dressed in a garment of disgrace. Many of us may not forget about how those who held the same office before him have been rewarded with insults and stigma.

For example, a non-CAC friend with whom I tried to share the testimony of this appointment was blunt with his response. To him, the only thing he could see was how Prof. Amupitan must have been armed with an unwritten mandate to return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. And it is only a fool that will fault that perception.

Watchers of political trends in Nigeria may see a strange unity between arms of government that are supposed to complement and serve as checks and balances to each other and also how the opposition is dismantling, like a pack of cards. These are no casual but well-crafted designs of our current democratic dispensation. In the end, it will be to blur the fine line and make even the best and most honest efforts of INEC to be something that the populace will spit upon.

Professor Amupitan needs God, the leadership of the church and all well-meaning members to mobilise and pray for him.

Thus, I would not expect CAC members to allow themselves to be served with an overdose of surface joy that will rob them the appreciation of the reality and the utmost need for them to do the needful. If we are to think deep, instead of the celebration of what many will like to term as the arrival of CAC through this appointment, we would stop further painting of the media that are linking the man with CAC, at least for now. Then, as we retire the social media painters, we should replace them with a quiet, dedicated, knowledge-driven team of intercessors to be assembled at the fronts and levels that will begin to prosecute the formidable battle staring our man in the face at the moment.

The powers that are holding Nigeria hostage have never been cultured enough to hide their agenda. But, with the enormity of the power at our disposal as a people, this appointment can mark the beginning of a new Nigeria. And here also, I am not referring to the kinds of prayers that have been polluting our
sanctuaries or desecrating our dedicated mountains for several decades now.

A major factor that cannot be sidestepped, however, is the depth of the conviction that Professor Amupitan, is bringing into his appointment, which must be that Nigeria needs a total break from the odious past. Nobody should pretend to underrate the odds. All the previous chairmen that had stepped into the office in well decorated white and were later booed out in tattered rags also pledged what he is pledging now. It is true that while he may not need to be reckless going about the new calling, he must understand the whims and mentality of the monsters that have held this country in bondage since independence. And these are the same people with whom he will still need to wine and dine as he pursues this assignment.

At the end of the day, everything will demand the need for him to deepen his personal relationship with God, by which He, in turn, will be able to count on him for the much-needed generational shift that the country needs in the crucial area of electoral management, especially at this time.

The other aspect of my concern is the euphoria of the CAC members on this appointment, which may only be indicative of how battered our social net worth and profiling had been. I am not in a position to know how many members of the church have held or are holding similar or even higher political offices in Nigeria. That is what only the leadership of the church may attest to. But like I said earlier, while we rejoice at the calling of Prof. Amupitan, can we not see how our church, now close to a century, with the size and spread of its membership, has been chained by retrogression that has made this appointment look as if it is something coming from the third heaven?

I protested about this in my book, Rebirth of Vision, that our church seems to pride itself in celebration of achievements that are supposed to be ordinary, that is if we will not label them a failure.

In conclusion, those who have never been raised into the level, the culture and consciousness of praying for Nigeria and its leadership in every aspect of our national life now have the opportunity to begin somewhere. And, the need for intercession for Prof. Amupitan is dangling that opportunity.

John O. B. AGBAJE (28/10/25)
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