The Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has warned that Nigerians stand to lose greatly if the country is allowed to fall apart.

Acknowledging the prevailing economic hardships, he appealed to citizens to allow President Tinubu time to implement his vision before judging his performance ahead of the 2027 elections.

Dogara disclosed this in Abuja during a worship and thanksgiving service to mark the 65th birthday of Archbishop John Praise Daniel, the presiding bishop of Dominion Chapel International Church.

He said: “We will lose so much if we lose this country called Nigeria. The truth is that whatever God has given us, if we don’t stand to protect it, we will lose it.

“Even in ministry, men of God will tell us, when you are anointed, then you have the extra responsibility to be very careful, to maintain and keep that fire fresh. Little mistake, it is gone.

“And so it is with virtually everything that God has given us. God has given us a nation, Nigeria, by promise, is one of the most endowed nations on earth.”

Also speaking at the event, the celebrant, Archbishop John Praise Daniel, expressed deep gratitude for God’s preservation over his 65 years.

Reflecting on his 45 years in ministry, he reaffirmed his commitment to serve God and encouraged young ministers to remain patient and faithful.

He said: “Where God has destined for you to get to, you will get to. I feel God is giving me energy to do more for Him, for the Kingdom, and for my generation. God will only permit me to die if my purpose is done.”

Daniel recounted surviving numerous life-threatening incidents, attributing his survival to divine purpose.

In his keynote address, Pastor John Dara, a preacher and politician, described Tinubu’s administration as reformist, arguing that the president’s visionary and courageous leadership required more than four years to yield sustainable results.

He called on Nigerians to unite and support Tinubu for a “landslide election victory” in 2027.

He said: “The Church in Nigeria has much more capacity to promote positive changes in the life of this nation than we realize. We are already contributing to the development of this nation’s human capital through our educational institutions, health institutions, and welfare programmes.

“We have probably created many more jobs through our churches and institutions than the public realizes. We must continue our traditional role of raising righteous and upright citizens and godly leaders by declaring the whole counsel of God.

“We also need to deliberately start leadership development programs in our Churches so that our people may excel in every field of endeavor. We must continue to pray for our nation and our leaders, but we must rise up to be to this nation.”