Okotie Calls for Interim Govt, New Political Structure

Bennett Oghifo

As political activities heighten ahead of the 2019 general elections, Senior Pastor of the Household of God Church, Reverend Chris Okotie saturday called on Nigerians to shelve whatever plans they have and enthrone an interim government that will pave way for a new system of governance that will be sustainable.

He made the call at a news conference he addressed at the church premises at Oregun, Lagos, noting that no partisan political equilibrium could salvage Nigeria at this juncture in its political evolution

Specifically, Okotie said, “Definite signs exist in the nation’s history that makes it imperative for Nigerians to move away from the position of business as usual’ to embrace a nationalistic philosophy that will augur well for the salvation of our nation.

“That is why I have reiterated my call for an interim government because that is the only paradigm that is realistic at this point. I believe that there are patriots within the political parties that will understand the seriousness of what is at stake and I believe that if they consider then they will agree that there has to be a paradigm shift.

“So, I refer to myself as the consensus remedial facilitator, because I recognise that what Nigeria needs now is a symbol of unity; someone who can epitomise the unity of this nation; who is believable, who is credible.”

According to him, it is my considered posture that no partisan political equilibrium can salvage Nigeria at this juncture in our political evolution. The indices indicate that we are on the course of disintegration.

Okotie, who had with him some clergymen who were on courtesy call, said Nigerians must embrace this new reality for the nation to move forward, adding that he had discussed with them and received wise counsel from them, “which were a confirmation of some of the things the Lord has said.”

He said the issue at stake was not about any political party, but that if Nigerians should express the nationalist sentiment that is necessary for the unity of the country, then they will come to recognise that as the only way forward.

He said the Okotie letters were predicated on the realities that Nigerians face, explaining that the solution proffered in those letters were the only way forward and that events of the future would vindicate me clearly.”

He said there “is always a spiritual dimension to any physical event. We are seeing here also that the solution is not a political solution, it has to be spiritual solution. There is a divine perspective to it, and that is why we are praying.

“It is only the interim government that can address issues like restructuring. For us to fix Nigeria, we must have an interim government that is not partisan in philosophy or ideology; that has an avowed responsibility to fix our nation.

“There is no government that can fix Nigeria when it comes to restructuring; it is not possible. A subsisting government will not decimate its power base so that it can restructure a nation that it has sovereignty over.”

He said proposal to restructure “is a complete fallacy, because of partisan considerations. That is why I am talking about an interim government. Only an interim government can address issues like restructure and the constitution, because the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is horrible, it’s obsolete and subversive to the Nigerian cause.”

Okotie did not give a time frame for the existence of the interim government, though noted that it “is negotiable; all the political actors at that time will have to come to the negotiating table to determine that time frame.”

Other issues to be addressed by the interim government, he said are ‘aboriginal democracy’, which he described as a system that would be indigenous, working with the cultural realities of our people.

He said the system in the country presently was derived from abroad and that it was a form of Western imperialism that is inconsistent with Nigeria’s reality, stating that it was the reason it was not working. “The new government will have something to do with the cultural historicity of the nation.”

Another issue to be addressed, according to him, is the strength the nation would derive in its diversity if properly harnessed. “There is strength in diversity, let’s not restrict ourselves to WAZOBIA.