Controversial pastor of the Household of God Church International Ministries, Chris Okotie, has declared his intention to contest for the umpteenth time, the 2015 presidential elections.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH in Lagos, Okotie said he would contest for the highest seat in the land under the platform of the FRESH Democratic Party, although, he refused to disclose the strategy being put in place to ensure his victory at the polls.
He said, âI donât want to talk about our strategy for now, we have learnt from our past experience, we donât want to talk about it for nowâ.
It would be recalled that FRESH party was last year deregistered by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, but the party won a court victory against its proscription that same year.
FRESH, which is an acronym for Faith, Responsibility, Equality, Security and Hope, according to the flamboyant clergyman, can salvage the country from its present situation. He added that all the cosmetic and superficial solutions provided by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were a journey in futility.
A catalogue of Okotieâs unsuccessful runs at the presidency, include his first attempt against former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 under the banner of Justice Party. He ran again in 2007 as a member of the Fresh Democratic Party and lost to the late President Umaru YarâAdua.
Asked if he would contest in 2015, Okotie said, âI will run in 2015, God willing.
âGod spoke to me about my participation in the political process, which was why I took the step in the first place. He has not said anything contraryâ.
When reminded that he had lost in previous attempts and that people might actually doubt if his claim that he was instructed by God to contest in the elections was genuine, he said as a servant of God, his duty was to follow divine instructions.
He summed up the blame for his failure in past elections on the prevalence of election malpractices especially by the PDP.
He said, âI can sum it up in one word-rigging by the PDP. Even one of the partyâs stalwarts, Chief Adeseye Ogunlewe, told The PUNCH recently that all elections have always been rigged. So that answers the question.
âThese election questions are inter-related. If they didnât rig, then I could have won. Apart from election malpractices, the duty of a servant of God is to obey his master when he gives him instructions, irrespective of whether he fails or succeeds. Like Moses in the Bible, who kept fighting until Pharaoh released the Israelitesâ.
I pray that as you have decided to go for this presidentcial election May the Almighty God We serve make YOU A WIINNER in Thy MIghty Name of JESUS Christ Amen.and My The ALMIGHTY GOD OF MOSES MAkE YOU a LEADER IN JESUS NAME AMEN
Let us not be deceived, if God asks you to do something, He gives you the backing. No matter the odds, one will succeed. If God gives you the message, which I doubt, you will succeed.