Former Nigerian Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has recounted how leaders of the Christian faith in the country were sharply divided over his nomination as the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the build-up to the 2015 general election in the country.
Osinbajo, a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), one of Nigeria’s mega churches, said many Christian leaders opposed his nomination as running mate to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2014, while others backed him.
Buhari, a northern Muslim, picked Osinbajo as his running mate on December 17, 2014.
The Buhari-Osinbajo ticket went on to win the 2015 presidential election, defeating an incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan. It was the first time in Nigeria’s political history that an opposition candidate would defeat a sitting president.
Standing firm
Osinbajo said amid the controversy over his candidacy, the presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Mike Okonkwo, stood firmly in his defence.
He spoke in Lagos at the 24th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, organised to celebrate Bishop Okonkwo’s 80th birthday in Lagos on September 2.
“A meeting of senior Pentecostal leaders was convened to decide the matter. Bishop Mike asked me to attend so I could make my case. But when I arrived, many influential leaders insisted I must not be allowed into the meeting. They considered my candidacy an aberration. Bishop Mike was furious. He said he was shocked that a born-again Christian pastor, whom they all knew well, would not be given a chance to speak before fellow Christian leaders. The situation became so tense I was advised to leave, but Bishop Mike remained adamant,” Osinbajo, a professor of law, narrated.
The former vice president, whose party won the presidential election, also recalled that some days later, Bishop Okonkwo gave him another opportunity—this time before the regional heads of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) at TREM’s headquarters.
That meeting, according to him, proved decisive as it enabled him to dispel misconceptions about his candidacy and his party’s vision.
Osinbajo highlighted the critical role Okonkwo played in his political career, stating that the bishop remained a steadfast supporter and encourager, offering both spiritual and moral guidance.
Turning to the octogenarian, the former vice president said, “Sir, I am extremely grateful, not just for your forthrightness and strong support—even when it did not appear at the time that we could win the election—but for your constant encouragement till this very day. You stood up when very few were prepared to stand up, and you spoke up courageously to people who were rarely challenged in that way.”
Osinbajo expressed gratitude to Okonkwo for picking him as the guest lecturer, describing it as an “exceptional honour.” He said he would not have missed the event for any reason.
Spiritual journey
The former vice president also recalled that his first encounter with Okonkwo several years ago was on a television long before he became born-again.
“The first time I heard Bishop Okonkwo preach was on television. He was wearing a shirt with a tie and suspenders. He preached about repentance and salvation in Christ, and then made an altar call.
“After praying for those who responded, he said something that struck me deeply — ‘Go to a Bible-believing church near you. Let the pastor know you have received Christ so they can help you grow in the faith.’ It crossed my mind that this was unusual—to pay for a television broadcast and not advertise your own church. That stayed with me for years,” Osinbajo said.
According to him, Okonkwo’s message remained imprinted on his mind until years later, when he became a born-again Christian.
