APC Asks DSS To Arrest Dino Melaye And Pastor Paul Enenche

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council on Monday called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to invite the General Overseer of Dunamis Church, Pastor Paul Enenche, over his ‘inciting sermon’ on the pulpit last Sunday. Also, the APC asked security agencies to arrest two spokespersons for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Dino Melaye and Dele Momodu, for allegedly attempting to heat the polity through their utterances.

The PCC Special Adviser on Media and Strategic Communications, Dele Alake, made the call in Abuja on Monday during a press conference. He said; “We note with utmost concern those inciting comments and call to violence by some spokespersons for the opposition, especially those from the Peoples Democratic Party. We are particularly concerned and call on the State Security Services and the Nigeria Police Force to immediately restrain persons such as Dino Melaye, Dele Momodu and a certain Pastor Paul Enenche of Dunamis Church from their clear call to violence.

“How can a supposed man of God be issuing threat on the pulpit because the person he and his brother endorsed is not winning? How can you desecrate the sanctity of the pulpit on the altar of partisanship? That is an abomination.

Dino Melaye’s tweet threatening violence, Dele Momodu going on the TV to announce a purported winner and Paul Enenche’s hate speech from the pulpit violate every law of the land. They should not go scot-free. The Christians community in this nation should even rise up to call him to order before the invitation by security agencies.

We encourage the DSS to do their work by apprehending and restraining these people calling for violence to reduce the tension.” Also speaking, a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, described the Dunamis preacher’s action as a disgrace to the Pentecostal mission society.

The organisation further urged security agents to stay vigilant and deal with individuals and groups who are planning to foment trouble. At a media briefing on Monday evening, the Special Adviser, Media and Communication at the PCC, Dele Alake said domestic and international observers have adjudged the election and the process as credible.

The spokesperson said the results emerging are countering the deceit and propaganda of the opposition which did not fetch them the expected votes. According to his words; “This has expectedly generated anxiety in their camps with many of their leaders making irresponsible incendiary comments. We note with utmost concern those inciting comments and call to violence by some spokespersons of the opposition, especially those from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“We are particularly concerned and call on the State Security Services and the Nigeria Police Force to immediately restrain persons such as Dino Melaye, Dele Momodu and Pastor Paul Enenche of Dunamis Church from their clear call to violence. Dino Melaye’s tweet threatening violence, Momodu going on the TV to announce a purported winner and Enenche’s hate speech from the pulpit violate every law of the land. They should not go scot-free.

“When failure stared them in the face, rather than accept the outcome with dignity like good democrats would, some sore losers began shopping for ways to cut corners or scuttle the process. We have seen many doctored results giving false victory to the Labour Party in places where it performed abysmally poor.

The idea was to give its followers hope and prepare them for a planned street insurrection. The PDP has employed almost similar tactics despite secretly admitting defeat. They went about with mouthwatering offers looking for willing partners that would help them subvert the will of the people,” the APC added.

Also, The Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) has called for the arrest of Paul Enenche, the senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, for his “inciting message” on the collation of the presidential election results. In a statement issued on Monday by Nelson Ekujumi, its executive director, the group said the messages are a “threat to national peace and security”.

On 26th February 2023, in a his sermon to congregations, Pastor Paul Enenche had decried the involvement of  “human demons” and their “lunatic agents” in the disruption of a peace election in some states.  Ekujumi described the message as “irresponsible, insensitive, reckless and provocative”.

He said the group is “disturbed and frowns at the provocative and reckless message of incitement being unleashed on helpless Nigerians by Paul Enenche and others of like minds with the intention to cause a disruption of public peace and order for personal political advantage which is condemnable”.

“We are shocked and condemn in strong terms the double standards that is being openly displayed by the DSS who invited an APC campaign council media director Chief Femi Fani-Kayode for questioning over comments termed as a threat to national security while they seem to be looking the other way at this brazen effrontery of Pastor Paul Enenche against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Ekujumi added.

“Therefore, as we await the announcement of final results and declaration of winners of the 2023 general elections at the national collation centre in Abuja, we are demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of Paul Enenche for comments that are capable of disrupting public peace, truncating, and toppling  our democracy which amounts to treason under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.