By Hameed Braimah
BENIN CITY — Former National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude, has urged President Bola Tinubu to strengthen Nigeria’s key institutions, warning that credible elections and genuine respect for the rule of law depend largely on their independence.
Speaking in Benin City at the weekend, Omobude listed the judiciary, police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and other security agencies as institutions that must be insulated from political interference if the country is to progress.
According to him, “President Bola Tinubu will write his name in gold if he is able to carry out reforms in some of our key institutions. The judiciary should truly be seen as independent and must act as such. The government at whatever level should not interfere in its activities.”
The cleric stressed that Nigerians deserve a system where votes count and the law takes its course irrespective of status, noting that only firm reforms can restore public trust in governance.
Omobude also highlighted the growing number of out-of-school children roaming the streets as another pressing national challenge, urging the government to increase investment in education.
He called for free and compulsory basic and senior secondary education, with sanctions for parents who neglect their children’s schooling.
“These out-of-school children are growing in their numbers, and if something is not urgently done, it will boomerang,” he warned.
On leadership, the former PFN president charged political office holders, religious leaders, and traditional rulers to see their positions as opportunities to serve God and the people, rather than for personal gain.
“We must contribute to the progress, peace and prosperity of our nation. We cannot continue to be beggars. Our children are migrating all over the world. We can turn this nation around and make it a better place,” Omobude added.
