BEVERLY HILLS, January 27, (THEWILL) – The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, says those who rumour that he is with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, owes him an apology.
This was as he revealed that his father is a leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in his Auchi hometown in Edo state.
The controversial preacher recently escaped arrest from operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, who came for him while in Ado-Ekiti for a 2-day crusade. Following his distress call, Governor Ayo Fayose mobilised to the hotel Suleman was lodged to prevent his arrest.
This happened days after a video that went viral on the internet showed Suleman instructing his church members to kill any Fulani herdsman found around Omega Fire premises, asserting that nothing will happen.
But addressing members of his church after the Ado-Ekiti incident, Suleman accused his traducers of making it look as if he does not like the APC government.
According to him, “I am speaking to clear the air, because number one, people who are going about saying things about me, do not know me.
“They owe me an apology for all of those statements. They are making the issue political, as if I am with PDP. Let me say this thing that Nigerians do not even know. Let me shock them. My father is a leader of APC in Auchi.
“If I were to be political, don’t I know who to follow? But I am not interested in politics.”
The controversial Evangelical preacher went on to state that he has nothing personal against Fulanis and Muslims, even as he vowed not to apologise for telling his people to go after herdsmen.
He explained, “I need to speak about this because of my friends and most of our northern pastors who have Fulani members.
“Many of them have been so concerned. They said: ‘Daddy, we know you love us.’… My driver in Lagos is a Muslim. He has been driving me for nine years and I have bought him two cars. If I am not tolerant, a Muslim won’t drive me.
“One day, there was an issue that happened at the gate of the church and I met with all the security men. I discovered that one of them was a Muslim and I asked how he happened to be there.
“He said he had been here for a long time and he was their supervisor, chief security officer. The way people make comments online, they say, ‘He has asked Muslims to kill Christians’.
“I come from a Muslim family. Some of my family members are Christians, some are still Muslims… I have decided to ignore them (people criticisng him) because your viewpoint is what determines your point of view. What gets your intention should not get your attention. They don’t know me.”
The pastor said he was angry because those who he was referring to in the video, which trended on the social media, are now rejoicing that the issue has taken a religious colouration.
Clarifying that he will continue having high regards for Fulanis who are tolerant and respect the sanctity of life, Suleman singled out the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, for commendation, noting that the monarch built a church reportedly destroyed during crisis.
His words, “Let me give you an example, the emir of Kano is an intelligent Fulani man. He is a Muslim. There was a church that was destroyed, but he rebuilt it.
“Will I tell people to go and kill such a person? The Fulani people who are very enlightened have called me. They understand me.
“The reason I’m speaking now is because the herdsmen whom I am angry against are happy that this issue has become a religious one.
“I’ll not withdraw my statement and those of you who are my children and pastors need to know what I’m fighting for, so that you can stand tomorrow and say ‘this is what I’m fighting for’.”
