CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: Church of Nigeria Issues New Rules for Politicians Attending Services | No More Campaigning in Church!
CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: Church of Nigeria Issues New Rules for Politicians Attending Services | No More Campaigning in Church!
Hi everyone,
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has released new guidelines for receiving guests—especially politicians—during church services and programs.
This move follows public controversy over political speeches made in churches, including a recent one by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike at St. James Anglican Church in Abuja.
During a thanksgiving service held to mark the completion of federal infrastructure projects, Minister Wike, took the church’s pulpit and used it to deliver direct political remarks.
He criticized the church, warning that it had “nearly made the worst mistake in 2023,” encouraging church leaders to rely on politicians for political insight, and claimed that “Peter Obi can’t be president.”
The new protocols are meant to protect the pulpit from partisan influence while preserving the Church’s role as a place of worship, prayer, and spiritual guidance.
The following are the key protocols for guests:
1. Church leaders must hold a preparatory discussion with any guest speaker to guide expectations
2. Guests must be informed that the church is not a platform for partisan messaging.
3. Church authorities should avoid appearing politically aligned or praising guests in a way that tarnishes the Church’s reputation.
4. Wherever possible, guests should avoid using the main lectern, which is reserved for reading Scripture.
QUESTION: What do you think? Should political speeches be allowed in churches?
The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has issued new guidelines following Minister Nyesom Wike’s controversial political speech at St. James Anglican Church, Abuja. These new rules aim to protect the sanctity of worship spaces and prevent political grandstanding in church.
Church of Nigeria’s New Guidelines for Hosting Guests—Especially Politicians—During Services and Programs:
📜 Background
In response to the political statements delivered from its pulpit—most notably by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike at St. James Anglican Church in Asokoro—the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, released official directives on July 11, 2025, aimed at safeguarding worship spaces
🛡️ Core Principles
Open yet Neutral: Services remain open to all, including public officials, but must stay strictly non-partisan
Maintain Integrity: Avoid actions or speeches that may sow political division or bias
✅ Key Protocols for Guests
Pre-visit briefing: Church leaders must hold a preparatory discussion with any guest speaker to guide expectations
Clear messaging: Guests must be informed the church is not a platform for partisan messaging
Balanced leadership: Church officials should avoid appearing politically aligned or praising guests in a way that tarnishes the church’s reputation
Lectern use restricted: Where possible, guests shouldn’t use the main lectern, which is reserved for reading Scripture
✨ Church’s Role
The Church reaffirms its calling to be “the light of the world and salt of the earth”—praying for the nation and offering godly counsel, but without political entanglement
🧭 Outlook
These measures position congregational spaces as sacred, spiritually focused environments—welcoming to all, but firmly political-neutral zones. They aim to reinforce unity and spiritual purpose over partisan interests.
🕊️ What happened at St. James Anglican Church, Asokoro, Abuja?
During a thanksgiving service held to mark the completion of federal infrastructure projects, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, took the church’s pulpit—traditionally reserved for personal testimonies and prayers—and used it to deliver directly political remarks
He criticized the church, warning that it had “nearly made the worst mistake in 2023,” encouraging church leaders to rely on politicians for political insight, and asserting that “Peter Obi can’t be president”
⚠️ Why was it controversial?
Misuse of sacred space: Lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor labeled it “political grandstanding, reckless vituperation, and a desecration of God’s sanctuary”
Ignored warnings: Church leaders reportedly sent him signals to wrap up, but he pressed on
Polarizing content: His statements were overtly critical of political figures and the church’s stance on the 2023 elections—heard by many as partisan campaigning
📣 Public and institutional reactions
Many saw this as a violation of church decorum, an issue of church-state separation, and a threat to the sanctity of a worship setting .
The controversy sparked nationwide debate, drawing attention to the use of pulpit platforms for partisan speech
It prompted the Church of Nigeria to issue formal guidelines barring politicians from using the lectern and making political speeches during services
In summary:
Wike’s high-profile political speech during a church thanksgiving service ignited significant backlash. Critics condemned it as an inappropriate politicization of a sacred space, leading the Anglican Church of Nigeria to cement protocols to preserve the church’s neutrality and sanctity.
NO MORE CAMPAIGNING IN CHURCH! Church of Nigeria Issues New Rules for Politicians Attending Services | Christian News and Views!
NO MORE CAMPAIGNING IN CHURCH! Church of Nigeria Issues New Rules for Politicians Attending Services | Christian News and Views!