Leonard Kawas, president-general of Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has defended his decision to support President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term, saying his involvement in Nigerian politics predates the current administration.
Gatekeepers News reports that Kawas spoke during an interview with Arise TV on Saturday amid criticism of the CBCN’s endorsement of Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election.
Some critics questioned his credibility as a bishop following the endorsement. However, Kawas said he had spent 25 years in the clergy and had previously supported several political figures, including former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, former vice-president Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
Recalling his earlier political activities, Kawas said he campaigned for political leaders without facing accusations that he was not a genuine bishop.
“I travelled around this country with Doyin Okupe. I travelled around this country at 2 am with John Dara and others. We were campaigning from church to church, and nobody called me a fake bishop,” he said.
He also recalled supporting former Taraba governor Jolly Nyame, who later appointed him chairman of the Christian Welfare Board in the state.
“I campaigned for my leader, reverend Jolly Nyame, and he became governor of my state, Taraba state. He appointed me chairman of the Christian Welfare Board, and nobody called me fake then,” Kawas said.
The bishop also spoke about his relationship with Obi, saying he supported the former Anambra governor at the early stage of his presidential ambition and accompanied him to campaign across the country.
“I supported Peter Obi at the initial stage of his presidential ambition. I went with him everywhere in Nigeria. And he never gave me one dollar, one naira,” he said.
Kawas added that Obi did not ask how he financed his participation in the campaign, saying he personally paid transportation costs for six clergymen.
“Neither did he even ever ask me one day how I came to the campaign. He will just see me at the campaign, and we will pray for him. I paid for the transportation of six clergymen. And nobody called me fake. We were on television everywhere,” he said.
Kawas further recalled his support for Jonathan, saying he backed him from his days as deputy governor of Bayelsa State and later joined his presidential campaign.
“I was one of the people who prophesied that we would see him in Abuja. And he came to Abuja, and he became vice-president and then president from the doctrine of necessity,” Kawas said.
He said he subsequently served on Jonathan’s presidential campaign council during the 2011 election.
“And then he won the election. I was on his presidential campaign council. I was the only bishop in Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign council, and I took the campaign everywhere. Nobody called me fake,” he said.
Kawas questioned why his decision to support Tinubu should now lead to doubts about his status as a bishop.
“Is it now, because I have prayed and God has led me to support Bola Tinubu, that I suddenly become fake?” he asked.
The CBCN’s endorsement of Tinubu has generated reactions ahead of the 2027 election, with Kawas maintaining that his present political position should be viewed alongside his long history of involvement in Nigerian politics.
