Popular Nigerian Pastor Jerry Eze, founder of Streams of Joy Church and convener of the NSPPD prayer platform, has faced widespread criticism following a testimony shared by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, during a church service.
In a viral video that gained traction on Sunday, Governor Okpebholo expressed his gratitude to God for his victory in the Edo State governorship election, crediting his success to divine intervention.
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During the testimony, the session moderator made a remark about how God often uses “foolish things” to demonstrate His sovereignty, a statement that added fuel to the controversy.
The event quickly ignited backlash online, with many Nigerians accusing Pastor Jerry Eze of misusing the pulpit and allowing what they perceived as a disrespectful mockery of God’s name.
Read Also: How Edo Election Was Compromised – Osita Chidoka
Okpebholo was declared the winner of September 2024 governorship election despite protests from PDP supporters, who argued that the results were fabricated and did not reflect the true will of the people.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Okpebholo garnered 291,667 votes, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who secured 247,274 votes. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) finished a distant third with 22,761 votes.
Demonstrations erupted in parts of the state capital and outside the heavily guarded INEC collation centre.
Earlier, Governor Obaseki had stormed the centre to protest the exclusion of PDP agents but was escorted out by armed security personnel.
At the collation centre, PDP agent Tony Iyoha called for the suspension of the entire election, citing alleged irregularities.
Similarly, the PDP state chairman, Anthony Aziegbemi, pointed out discrepancies between figures on the EC8 form and those on INEC’s IReV platform.
The PDP Governors’ Forum also urged INEC to respect the will of Edo voters, alleging widespread electoral malpractices.
Led by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, the PDP governors questioned the accuracy of some announced results, stating they did not match those on the IReV platform.
Election Observers also criticised the Edo Governorship saying it lacked transparency and did not meet requirements of credible election.
Read Also: Edo Governorship Election Did Not Meet Requirements Of Credible Election – Observers
See some reactions on X below:
@ose-anenih, said, “God will not be mocked, #RealJerryEze
“There was a time when mighty men of God would speak truth to power. Today, pastors used their putrefying platforms to celebrate society’s perversions.
“A rigged election is what your god is using to prove his divinity? , Pastor Jerry.”
@buhilz56 “#RealJerryEze this is not supposed to be ooo. On your pulpit we are having such testimonies from what is a common knowledge of what happened in Edo State.
@Wale_A3 “When I say there are specific pastors I can never listen to, they would claim pride and that used to affect me until sometimes in the past. I no longer bother anyway, I listen to very preachers these days because I know many others are mere hustlers trying to survive.
@unimagbebia “When would Christianity learn from Islam? Islam don’t close her doors to them but they don’t give them room to rinse their sins & ascribe their sham victories to Allah. Christianity as practiced in Nigeria, can’t take her eyes off money.
@Esteembehemoth There’s no difference between a kidnapper and a man that stole the people’s mandate.
They are both of the devil. In fact, if you deep it properly, you’ll see that an election thief is more of a danger to the society than a k!dnapper.
Any pastor using their platforms to whitewash them should also direct the same energy at cleaning up the images of k!dnappers and armed robbers.
Morality came to some Nigerian “churches” to d!e.
@DaGreatMalabite This is so painful to watch honestly. God did not do this. INEC and Tinubu did.
@LawrenceOkoroPG Pastors with the urge to feed from politicians will never be a surprise to me.
Pastor Jerry Eze and his church are praising God with a Politician that openly rigged an election in Edo state.
Whatever happened to “Men of God” speaking truth to power? What God can not do does not exist actually.
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