Ngige, Umahi — presidential hopefuls who said God called them to contest in 2023

With just a few months to the 2023 elections, some politicians have entered the “spiritual realm” and come out with ”revelations” about how God purportedly spoke to them to contest in the presidential election. 

Here are the politicians who said God asked them to contest for the presidency in 2023.

DAVID UMAHI

In January, Umahi, governor of Ebonyi, announced his intention to contest for the presidency in the 2023 general election after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Umahi’s announcement came about 24 hours after Bola Tinubu, chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he had informed Buhari of his intention to run for president in 2023.

Speaking on his presidential declaration, the Ebonyi governor said he declared his intention after God had spoken to him about it.

”Life is very dynamic and God speaks to me. So, it is progressive and I think that I spoke when God asked me to speak. This is what I believe,” he said.

“You know naturally, based on what God is doing for us in our state — the economic indices we have achieved by God’s special grace — a lot of people believe that we can have a kind of the same feat accomplished at the federal level if given the opportunity.

“Of course, you talk to God, God talks to you and this is prayer and then you listen to God. I think that I’m at peace with this decision.”

CHRIS NGIGE

On April 16, Ngige, minister of labour and employment, told his supporters that God had spoken to him to declare his intention to run for president in 2023.

“I want to assure you that the period of lent, we ended it last night. And during this period, we communed with God; we did our fasting; we talked to God and the angels and God spoke back to us. God has spoken to me,” he had said.

“Resurrection morning is tomorrow. I want to assure you that I will also not disappoint you. I will speak to you in the language you will understand and the language you will like. It will be very soon — either Tuesday or Wednesday before I go back to Abuja.”

Three days later, the labour minister formally declared his intention to contest for the presidency in the 2023 general election.

DELE MOMODU

In January, Momodu, journalist and publisher of Ovation Magazine, joined the 2023 presidential race.

Speaking about his intention, the publisher said he has been preserved by God to become Nigeria’s president, while promising to fix the country.

“You must get, one, a candidate with a very clean record, no controversy. You must get a candidate who is youth-friendly. You must get a candidate who is cosmopolitan,” Momodu had said.

“You must get a candidate who is friends with everybody but very firm who can speak truth to power. I have been speaking truth to power despite the fact that most of these guys are my friends. You hardly find such in any political party. Dele Momodu was preserved by God for that role.”

OLASUPO AKINOLA

Akinsola, a 40-year-old Ibadan-based Islamic cleric, said God directed him to contest for the presidency in 2023.

The Islamic cleric said God sent him to proffer solutions to the country’s problems, adding that the country is in a critical situation.

He promised to make Nigeria better for the poor citizens while calling on past leaders to support his ambition.

‘GOD CALLED ME THRICE — AND SAID ATIKU IS OUR NEXT PRESIDENT’

Although Dino Melaye, former senator representing Kogi west, is not in the presidential race, Melaye said God called him via the telephone thrice, and told him that Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, would be Nigeria’s next president.

“By the grace of God, as I hand over the microphone to chief Raymond Dokpesi to present these completed forms to the national organising secretary, I want to state unequivocally that many of us when we call on God, God doesn’t give us missed calls,” Melaye had said.

“When we call Him, He picks up our call. And He called me and he said Dino, I said yes my Lord. He called the second time again, I said yes my Lord. He called the third time, and he said: Atiku would be the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”