Separate religion from politics, says Oyo SDP candidate

OYO State gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Seyi Makinde has charged the people of the state to place less emphasis on religion but to focus on how to take poverty, which has no religion out of the state.

    Makinde made this charge in a chat with journalists in Ibadan on his interactive sessions with the leaders of the religious groups in the state, which he described as fruitful and eye-opener.

    The SDP governorship hopeful disclosed that his mission in government if voted into power would not be to place one religion above the other, but to be just, fair and accountable to his creator, who in His infinite wisdom created the various religions for the people to practice.

     He maintained that “if God had wanted mankind to worship Him through one religion, He would have decreed it and since He did not do that, I don’t think it is the responsibility of any individual or group of people to decree one religion out existence.

   “My main concern in government and which I want the people of this state to cooperate and support me on is my desire to banish poverty, which in my understanding has no religion, race, creed or colour, it is our common denominator and we all must be ready to confront and drive it out of our midst” 

   Makinde disclosed that the meetings with the religious leaders during which he said he responded to various questions on his mission in government afforded him the opportunity to know the people’s fears and worries on what his policy on religion would be in government.

   “I made it known that our government would respect the right of every citizen in the state to practice his or her religion without let or hindrance and will not allow undue religious sentiment to interfere with governance.

  “We will be more concerned about developmental issues, using our God-given opportunities to ensure that people are uplifted. I wasn’t born rich, but, if by the grace of God and through education paid for by the state, I am what I am today, we can conquer poverty in this state and we shall by His grace and the support of the people”, he added