Adeyanju Critiques Obi's Use of Churches for Politics

On Tuesday, rights activist Deji Adeyanju condemned the use of churches for political campaigns, specifically targeting Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC). Adeyanju stated that the politics of religion could harm Nigeria, insisting that elections should center on ideas, policies, and visions rather than religious affiliations.

He criticized Obi for what he described as a return to the divisive politics of religious mobilization seen in the 2023 elections. Adeyanju referenced the Electoral Act 2026, which prohibits the use of places of worship for political campaigning.

He also condemned a recent gathering of religious clerics endorsing President Tinubu, urging pastors to refrain from providing platforms for politicians to campaign in churches. Adeyanju stressed the need to avoid repeating the negative precedents set in previous elections and called for the sanctity of religious spaces to be maintained.