By Philomina Attah

The Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Garki, Abuja, Rev. Tom Takpatore, has urged political leaders to fulfil their campaign promises saying, “Nigeria is tired of unfulfilled pledges”.

Takpatore gave the charge in Abuja during the church’s Annual Thanksgiving Service.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the service, held on the first Sunday in November, marks the church’s 44th Annual Thanksgiving.

The cleric stated that the thanksgiving focused on God’s goodness and graciousness despite ongoing societal challenges.

“As humans, we have a tendency of celebrating evil, pain, and struggles, whereas the good things that happen to us are much more than the bad things,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to count their blessings and remain consistently grateful to God.

Speaking on the forthcoming 2027 general elections, Takpatore urged citizens to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), vote according to their conscience, and defend their votes.

He challenged political leaders to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete action on their commitments.

“We should not just end with promises. If you make a promise, you deliver. The Bible tells us that the one who makes his promise and delivers, even when it is painful, is a righteous man.

“Nigeria is tired of people who make promises and don’t fulfill them. Let’s fulfill our promises. Nigeria has every potential to be a great country,” Takpatore added.

According to him, if leaders consistently keep their word, God will bless the nation.

A Deacon of the church, Mr Bassey Effiong, noted that thanksgiving was a divine command to show gratitude in every situation.

“We thank God because we are alive and He is sustaining us. We all know what we are going through in Nigeria,” Effiong said.

Effiong added that Nigerians have every reason to thank God for life, family, their faith community, and the gift of nationhood.

“There are people who don’t have a nation, who are stateless. We do have one nation,” he stressed.

He explained that thanksgiving helps maintain a proper perspective on life, noting that God has sustained the church through 10 months and into the 11th month.

The wife of the Senior Pastor, Mrs Adenike Takpatore, said that in spite of prevailing economic and social difficulties, Nigerians still have reasons to be thankful.

She listed God’s provision of food, protection, divine healing, and safe travels as clear proofs of His mercy.

“The word of God says, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endures forever.’ For God to have kept Nigeria together as one country up till now, in spite of all our challenges, God is good,” she said.

She added that as Nigeria approaches another election cycle, the church continues to trust God for mercy and a better future.
“There is hope for Nigeria. We are trusting that tomorrow will be better,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai