The Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, even as the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, called on Christian leaders across the country to use their influence to promote peace, national unity and responsible democratic participation ahead of the polls.
The endorsement was made on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, during the grand finale of the 2026 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and the International Communion of Charismatic Archbishops, Bishops and Apostles (ICCABA), held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.
Delivering the keynote address at the event, Idris urged religious leaders to recognise their strategic role in maintaining national cohesion, particularly as Nigeria approaches another general election.
He said Nigeria’s diversity demanded responsible leadership across all sectors of society, stressing that the responsibility for preserving the country’s unity could not be left to government alone.
“Keeping this country united requires more than government action. It requires responsible leadership across society, including religious leadership,” the Minister said.
Idris cautions against religious interpretation of insecurity
Idris reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting religious freedom and ensuring that Christians, Muslims and adherents of other faiths could worship and live peacefully without discrimination.
He cautioned religious leaders and other stakeholders against portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious conflict, arguing that terrorists and criminal groups had attacked Nigerians across religious, ethnic and regional lines.
According to him, the government’s approach to national security recognises the need to protect all citizens irrespective of their faith or background.
The Minister said the Tinubu administration had strengthened intelligence gathering, inter-agency cooperation, military operations and the broader national security architecture.
He disclosed that approximately 1,000 terrorist elements, including dozens of their leaders, were eliminated during the first quarter of 2026, describing the development as part of the security agencies’ ongoing efforts to degrade terrorist and criminal networks.
Idris also cited the rescue in August of 308 abducted Nigerians in Niger and Kwara States, saying the operation demonstrated the continued commitment of security agencies to protecting lives and securing communities.
With the 2027 elections approaching, Idris urged religious leaders to intensify efforts to promote social cohesion and prevent political competition from degenerating into religious, ethnic or regional conflict.
He called on the Church to guide young Nigerians away from radicalisation and criminality, strengthen community-based early-warning mechanisms and encourage dialogue among communities.
The Minister warned that the forthcoming elections must not become an avenue for deepening existing divisions.
“No election should be allowed to turn Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Christian, North against South, or one ethnic group against another. Nigeria belongs to all of us,” he said.
He further urged religious leaders to ensure that their pulpits remained platforms for truth, peace and responsible citizenship rather than incitement and division.
Idris said the influence of religious institutions extended beyond worship and could be deployed to strengthen democratic values, peaceful participation and national consciousness.
Idris highlights economic reforms, youth programmes
The Minister also highlighted the Federal Government’s economic reform agenda, saying the administration was implementing reforms while expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.
He listed programmes including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT), Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA), iDICE and other initiatives aimed at expanding access to education, skills, entrepreneurship and economic opportunities.
“Nigeria’s greatest resource is not only what lies beneath our soil. It is also the talent and ability of our people,” Idris said.
He called on churches and other faith-based organisations to complement government efforts by deepening their interventions in education, healthcare, skills acquisition, youth empowerment, humanitarian assistance and community development.
According to him, religious organisations possess extensive grassroots networks that can be deployed to address social and economic challenges confronting Nigerians.
The event also witnessed a significant political development when the President General of CBCN, Archbishop Prof. Leonard Bature Kawas, declared the Conference’s support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Kawas said the Church had examined the administration’s policies and record and was prepared to continue supporting the President through prayers, advocacy and public engagement.
He said the Conference believed the administration’s policies and efforts towards national development and inclusivity justified its decision to support the President.
“We support him now. We support him today, we support him tomorrow, and we support him for as long as he’s willing to be our president,” Kawas declared.
“This house has endorsed him for 2027 presidency.”
The declaration effectively placed the CBCN’s support behind President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
Representing President Tinubu at the gathering, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, commended the Church for its contributions to peacebuilding, humanitarian interventions, national cohesion and moral formation.
Akume acknowledged the difficulties and sacrifices Nigerians had experienced as a result of the ongoing economic reforms, but assured citizens that the Federal Government remained committed to improving household incomes, reducing hardship and ensuring that the benefits of the reforms were increasingly felt across the country.
“We commend our citizens for their patriotism and resilience, and assure them that it will never be in vain, as promised by Mr. President himself,” Akume said.
The SGF called for stronger collaboration between government and the Church in confronting the country’s security and development challenges.
He identified youth empowerment, education, peacebuilding, civic responsibility and humanitarian services as areas where closer cooperation could produce greater impact.
“Government needs the moral reach of the Church, and the Church needs an enabling civic environment to thrive. Above all, Nigeria needs us to work together for the common good,” he said.
Akume assured the gathering that the Federal Government welcomed the Church’s prayers, counsel, constructive criticism and partnership in advancing national development.
