The Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has explained its decision to withdraw support from former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and back President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The group’s President General, Archbishop Leonard Bouwe Kawas, said the decision was based on what he described as divine direction rather than financial inducement.
Kawas disclosed this during an interview with Arise TV, where he responded to criticism over his decision to support Tinubu after backing Obi during the 2023 presidential election.
The cleric said he personally supported Obi in 2023 and even financed the transportation of six other clergymen who joined him at campaign events.
According to him, Obi never provided him with money or personal assistance during the campaign, stressing that his support at the time was not motivated by financial considerations.
Kawas said the same principle applied to his current support for Tinubu, arguing that his decision followed what he believed was God’s direction.
He questioned why his support for Obi in 2023 was accepted without controversy, while his subsequent decision to endorse Tinubu had led some people to question his credibility as a bishop.
The Archbishop also rejected allegations that he had been financially induced to support the incumbent president.
He explained that his involvement in Nigerian politics and presidential campaigns was not new, recalling that he previously supported former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Kawas said he had backed Jonathan from his days as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State and later participated in Jonathan’s presidential campaign.
He noted that he had also travelled across the country to campaign for Jonathan without being accused of lacking credibility.
The cleric therefore maintained that his political endorsements should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of financial transactions or personal benefits.
He said his support for Tinubu was based on his conviction that the president was the candidate he had been led to support at this stage.
Kawas’ comments come as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with religious and political leaders increasingly declaring their preferred candidates.
The decision by some religious figures who previously supported Obi to realign ahead of the next election is expected to remain a subject of political debate as the campaign season approaches.
