2027: I supported Peter Obi in 2023, he never gave me N1 — Kawas

ABUJA — Archbishop Leonard Bature Kawas, a leader of the Charismatic Bishops, has defended his political activities, saying he supported Peter Obi’s presidential bid in 2023 without receiving any financial reward from the former Anambra State governor.

Kawas spoke during an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme while responding to criticism of his involvement in politics and the controversy surrounding the recent endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term by the Charismatic Bishops.

The cleric recalled that he supported Obi at the initial stage of his presidential ambition and travelled with him to different parts of the country during the campaign.

“I supported Peter Obi at the initial stage of his presidential ambition and went with him everywhere in Nigeria and he never gave me one dollar, one naira,” Kawas said.

He said Obi did not ask how he travelled to campaign venues or where he lodged, adding that he personally financed the transportation of six clergymen who accompanied him to campaign events.

“He would just see me at the campaign, we would pray for him, I would pay the transportation of six clergymen, we would come there and support him,” he said.

Kawas said he had recently been described as a fake bishop because of his current political activities, despite his longstanding involvement in campaigns involving different presidential candidates and politicians.

He recalled supporting former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying he began backing him when he was deputy governor of Bayelsa State and later served on his presidential campaign council.

“I was in his presidential campaign council. I was the only bishop in Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign council and I took campaign everywhere,” he said.

The cleric also cited his support for former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying he travelled across the country with others to campaign for Obasanjo after being invited to lead prayers for the actualisation of his presidential ambition.

Kawas further recalled his political involvement in Taraba State, where he campaigned for his leader, Reverend Jolly Nyame, who later became governor and appointed him chairman of the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board.

He questioned why his political activities had become a basis for questioning his identity as a bishop.

“Is it now because I have prayed and God has led me that it is tenable that I suddenly now become fake?” he asked.

Kawas’ comments come amid renewed scrutiny of the activities of Christian clerics involved in Nigeria’s emerging political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The archbishop was previously associated with political engagements involving Obi. In October 2022, he led a delegation of Christian clerics to the Labour Party and declared support for Obi’s presidential campaign.

At the time, Kawas rejected allegations that the clerics were “fake bishops”, saying they represented millions of Christians across Nigeria.

His latest comments therefore place his current political activities within what he described as a longstanding history of engaging politicians and participating in presidential campaigns across different administrations.