Oyedepo's Church Divided Over Prayer For Jonathan

PMnews reports that all attempts made by the Winners overseer, Bishop David Oyedepo, to make members of his congregation stand up to pray for President Goodluck Jonathan to win the 14 February presidential election were to no avail. It was reported that while some stood up reluctantly, other members who were not happy with Jonathan’s administration refused to stand up from their seats to pray for him. However, pastor Oyedepo was unperturbed as he finally prayed for Jonathan by himself. The said visit of the president has obviously caused a lot more havoc than blessings as the church has been under serious scrutiny and condemnation from Nigerians. President Jonathan, with some of his aides, the chief of staff tothe president, Jones Arogbofa, and the executive secretary of the Christian Pilgrim Board, Kennedy Okpara, worshipped at the church during its third service after they arrived at the church premises in a helicopter. Within a few minutes of their departure, the ”not-so-palatable” malicious report sent the internet agog, with various local blogging sites misquoting and misinforming thepublicabout what really happened during the church service, resulting in the outrage that greeted the president’s visit. While some Nigerians said they were shocked that Oyedepo could make such a comment, others went comiccallinghim a man of“small gods.” Unfortunately, however, many of these bloggers and news writers were not in the church during the president’s visit, but they all attributed their news to sources within the church. According to a PMnews correspondent who attended the same service as the President, his aides, and politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos and Ogun states, the drama began in the church.