Why I wake up midnight daily to pray for Nigeria- Tunde Lemo

Former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Pastor Tunde Lemo, has disclosed that by midnight, on daily basis, he goes on his knees to pray for Nigeria.

Penpushing reports that Lemo, a Pastor at the Foursquare Gospel Church, explained that the present state of affairs requires constant prayers to survive Boko Haram onslaught, banditry, kidnapping and agitation for secession threatening the corporate existence of the country.

“Most of the time I wake up at midnight to pray for Nigeria.  I will first of all pray, read news, especially Penpushing and other credible news platforms.  And then I go on my knees and pray for Nigeria and pray for Nigerians,”

The cleric in an exclusive interview with Femi Shodunke, a member, Editorial Board of Penpushing, also urged other political parties, particularly the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the myriad of problems confronting Nigeria, while making reference to United States of America(USA) experience during national crisis.

“That is why when America is in crisis, they don’t play politics with their security.  They queue behind whoever is their President as Americans.  If you remember during the time of George W. Bush who took over power after Clinton, two years into the Presidency his rating popularity was very low, almost to zero’, Lemo said.

“But when there was 911, the entire Americans stood behind him because America’s security was at stake.  Nobody played politics with security; everybody came to offer their suggestions.  When it is time for politics, they will play politics, but when it comes to security all Americans come together’, he added.

“They don’t play politics at that time.  We are currently facing security issues in Nigeria, but our leaders are not ready to talk because they want to contest election.  How many people they will kill in Nigeria before they will speak, and if all of us have died, where do they want to build their State House?”

“We just have to talk and leave politics and ask what is happening, let us deal with it.  Even if PDP is seeing that government is not doing very well, let it seek audience with Mr. President and say hey this is our suggestion there must be peace now in the country, not that we shall be mocking the government that ‘God is dealing with them.’  No.  For instance, if the country became destabilized can any party come to power?”

The nation’s apex bank ex-deputy governor’s counsel to Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) came at the time the party, through its National Chairman, Uche Secondus, just advised the Federal Government to create National Border Protection Force for integrated border control which will involve officials and equipment from the Nigerian Immigration Service and current armed services.

The frankly speaking Lemo and frontline member of Penpushing platform blamed elites, many of whom he said are “looking for what to eat,” even as he also canvassed for a strong opposition to serve as check and balance on the ruling party.

“But the problem I have is with the elite; many of us are looking for what to eat.  Someone said there is no opposition in Ogun State, APC is doing well.Any political system that has no opposition is a recipe for disaster, which means whatever we want to benefit and eat is what our politicians are looking for.”, he stated

“If not, how can you abandon your ideology and go to a party just because it is the party that is controlling the budget.  It is all about what is in it for them.  Many of them are broke; it is APC that has the pot for everyone to eat, and therefore all of us should go there for what we can benefit.  If there is no credible opposition how do you put other people in check?”, he maintained

Penpushing also reports that, the one-time Managing Director of Wema Bank Plc criticized party politics in the country, saying that the leadership bar has become very low.

“A lot of politicians have destroyed their image in this country and they cannot offer genuine and sincere opinion about our country.  We should engage in policy dialogue and be objective in canvassing our views.  I hope Nigeria will be better.  Whatever passes crying we just have to take it as laughter.”

The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor also advised Nigerian politicians to learn from their United States of America (USA) counterparts in allowing political ideology to guide them.

“For instance the Kennedy family in US have always been in Democratic Party.  They are always in the Democratic Party, either the party is ruling or not.  Always, Kennedy family members are democrats.  The Bush family is Republican.   Whether Republican Party is ruling or not, you can never see any of them cross to the Democratic Party.  They will always remain Republicans’.

“The point is if you are Republican you are Republican because there are good reasons why you are Republican.  And if you are Democrat or Liberal, there is an ideological support for you.  But you can be a bit to the centre in the interest of the nation’s economy”, Lemo added

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