As the president of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, the organisation for all Pentecostal churches in the land, Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor, one of the products of Bishop Benson Idahosa (now late) occupies a pedestal to speak for pentecostal Christians. And one question in the mouths of most Christians today is what kind of person will take over from President Obasanjo whose tenure expires in 2007? Excerpts from this interview.

Nigeria has just passed through a traumatic period as a result of the attempt to elongate the tenure of the present administration. Did we have to go through such period?
First of all, you are going to pardon me for the strong language I'm going to use on the Nigerian press. I'm saying this because the press is a partner in the progress of this nation. But I think in my opinion that the press over-did the third term issue. It was too much. We were literally eating and drinking third term. It consumed this nation. This is because the press gave the issue too much attention.

Beyond this, however, I think what we have seen was democracy in action. I see what has happened as a normal development in a democracy. It shows that Nigeria is developing into a stable and virile democracy. What just took place has given us a lot of respect in the world. It shows that we can agree and disagree. It also shows that the three tiers of government are independent of one another. What has happened is a normal process and it is good for our democracy.

So, in essence, the National Assembly has done what is right?
Again, I will say that the press over emphasised this third term issue. The fact is that the Nigerian public is not interested in a third term or in a fourth term. What they are interested in is food on their table. The so-called fight against third term is an elitist fight. It was fought by less than one per cent of the population. Many ordinary Nigerians don't even know the meaning of third term. As it is, a few educated people are the Nigerians, while the rest of us are onlookers.

In the first place, I never believed President Olusegun Obasanjo would stake his integrity and go for a third term. I told journalists when they came to me that Obasanjo is a student of history. He is a maker of history. He would not throw all that aside and do what was illegal. There was no time he said he would run.

But his body language, as some people interpreted it, was saying yes to third term?
I know that is what you will say. Body language is body language. It could be interpreted either way. The point is that he never came out to say he would run for a third term. Those who were accusing him had no basis.

He is the president of the country. He ought to have come out, at least to douse the tension?
I will not blame him for that. I will blame the politicians. He was also strategising. In his strategy, he felt that silence was the best option. As a result of the third term debate, a lot of people grouped themselves together. Some were for, some were against. Those who came up in the course of debate have not really told us their agenda for the country. They were busy fighting for or against third term. It was like they were feasting on the issue.

"...I believe there is no president in the story of this country that has taken the steps Obasanjo has taken in the last six years. People may not agree with me. But that is my opinion. What he has done is gradually benefiting us..."

What I found out is that many of those who were making noise then were emergency democrats. They were people who were capitalising on the scenario to become over night heroes. Now that the agenda has been rested by the action of the National Assembly, it will be interesting to see the true colour of those who were involved in the third term controversy. ­

But the president probably would have jumped at the offer if he bill had survived in the National Assembly?
He never said he would run. So, there is no way one could arrive at that conclusion. But the fact is that there are so many other issues that the lawmakers ought to have faced instead of focusing on the third term agenda. It was a golden opportunity that they threw away. A lot of issues were agitating the minds of Nigerians and that was an opportunity to look at those issues. As it is, it has to be another set of lawmakers that will look into those issues.

So you think the whole idea of the constitutional conference that produced the issues that were to be discussed in National Assembly was a waste?
I will not say it was a waste. I will say democracy has won, though we have not achieved anything in concrete terms. What I know is that there were some people who were afraid of the proposed amendment to the constitution. They know that the amendment of the constitution to address certain lopsided areas will not augur well for them. What­ those people did was to cash in on the third issue and derail the process.

The National Assembly came up with so much, but ended up nothing. The issues that have been swept under the carpet will keep on coming up again and again. It is like deferring the evil days. I hope that when these issues will be raised again, perhaps by the next democratic dispensation, it will not generate so much brouhaha.

As a servant of God, are there genuine fears on who succeeds President Obasanjo?
I'm not a politician. So, I can talk straight and not mince words. Obasanjo, like any other human being, has his own faults. But I believe he needed to allow the dividend of the reform to get to the people, so that they can say they have enjoyed something from the reforms.

"The problem the President has is the problem of sabotage. There are many powerful forces working against him. That is why Bola Ige did not succeed, when he said he was going to change the situation in less than six months."

The average Nigerian wants to experience the fallout of the reforms. The problem that this will take a while. But I think the government can at least create an avenue through which the common man can joy what they have suffered for in the course of the reforms. Government can look at the transport sector and do something to help the ordinary Nigerian.

Having said that, I believe there is no president in the story of this country that has taken the steps Obasanjo has taken in the last six years. People may not agree with me. But that is my opinion. What he has done is gradually benefiting us. It is changing our status in the world. With all what he has one so far, I think there are genuine fears about who steps into his shoes.

Let us be sincere with ourselves. This man has done well for Nigeria. There is the fear that the person coming next may take us to 'business as usual'. There is the fear that anybody coming may end up depleting our foreign reserve. Honestly, there is that genuine fear. If there is no conflict between the executive and legislature, that means there is some form of compromise. It could be a rub my back, I rub your back affair. But that is not the case in this government. What has happened has shown that there are checks and balances.

You have spoken highly of Pre8fdent Obasanjo. Some people will not agree with you that he has done well. They will point to the issue power supply, for instance, a big minus for his government.
The problem Obasanjo has had is not lack of initiative. It is not lack of the will power either. The problem he has had is the problem of sabotage. There are many powerful forces working against him. That is why Bola Ige did not succeed, when he said he was going to change the situation in less than six months.

Some people were actually frustrating the efforts of the government. There are some people who are benefiting from the status quo. I just pray that the present effort will yield fruit. We hear that efforts are on ground to build seven power plants. It is hoped that it will be sincerely pursued.

But sincerely, a lot of infrastructure that we have on ground was done by Obasanjo when he first came as military head of state. Now as the president, he found out that most of the things that were done during his reign as military head of state had been destroyed. It is just natural for him to feel concerned about the problem. What he has been doing since he became president is fixing dilapidated infrastructure.

" ... sincerely, the infrastructure that we have on ground was done by Obasanjo when he first came as military head of state. Now as the president, he found out that most of the things that were done during his reign as military head of state had been destroyed..."

But he has no problem doing that. He ought to be doing other things. We must also appreciate that the fight against corruption has never been done the way it is being done in this administration. If a child has been crawling for 14 years and suddenly be stands up, it is an improvement. That is the light in which the achievement of this government is being viewed.

The year 2007 is around the corner, do you see Nigeria passing through the year without violence?
Nigeria is a survivalist nation. We will go through the next election and come out of it. We will have Mr. President and the governors and other officers. We are praying and it shall come to pass. But I want to appeal to all politicians to ensure that the nation is not thrown into chaos. They should stop hiring assassins and creating confusion an over the place. They should learn to solve their differences without resorting to violence.

I want to appeal to them again to spare us unnecessary tension and forget all this thuggery. They should not drag us back. I will also like to say that God will target all those who will cause problem for us in 2007 and put them aside. I repeat again. God will target all those who will cause problem for us in 2007 and put them aside. I'm saying this as a man of God. God is still behind the Nigerian project. Some of the people we think will get to office may not get there. God is going to spring a surprise on Nigerians. But I'm positive that Nigeria will survive.