7 pastors that have run for political office

We are taking you through the times when pastors, both foreign and Nigerian, declared their intentions to go into politics.

Here are seven pastors that have run for political office, in no particular order.

Pastor Tunde Bakare

2018 started with a bang when Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly announced his plans to contest for the presidency.

The declaration was made even more interesting by the fact that it came from the pulpit during the new year eve’s service in Ogba, Lagos.

Bakare said, “I heard the Lord say, politics is not over for you, run for president. “And (the lord) said to me, I’ll work it out myself and make it happen in due course.

“Please trust me, I lie not in the Holy Ghost. This is not easy for me to share with you. I share this with you so that you can pray along with me.

“It appears destiny is calling and the time is at hand, but who is sufficient for these things? As I hear more, You’d be the first to know by the grace of God.”

This declaration got interesting reactions from Nigerians.

ALSO READ: The problem with Pastor Bakare's presidency declaration

Pastor Chris Okotie

Before Bakare, there was Reverend Christopher Oghenebriore Okotie of the Household of God in Oregun, Lagos.

In 2003, he came with the original ‘God said I would be president’ message, Sadly, this did not work out so well.

Another attempt was made in 2007. Unfortunately, he lost again, this time to the late Yar’adua.

Yemi Osinbajo

Oluyemi Oluleke “Yemi” Osinbajo is currently the vice president of this country.

Before this, he was the Pastor in charge of the Lagos Province 48 (Olive Tree provincial headquarter) of The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Ikoyi.

He insists that he still handles both positions, saying, “Just like Pastor Ibitayo has said we are on loan. I am still the pastor-in-charge of Province 48 in Lagos and my wife remains wife of the pastor-in-charge and wife of the Vice President.”

This was confirmed again in 2016 after new claims that he has resigned as an RCCG Pastor.

His Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, issued a statement debunking the claim.

After calling this claim “misleading and completely baseless,” the statement added that Osinbajo “is, in fact, the Pastor-in-Charge of RCCG Lagos Province 48, a position he has held in the past three years and in which he continues to serve.”

Jesse Jackson

He got into politics when he became active in local civil rights protests in 1966. Jackson’s next step was getting ordained as a minister in 1968.

This did not stop him from announcing his campaign for President of the United States on November 3, 1983. Sadly, he lost.

He tried again in 1988, captured 6.9 million votes and won 11 contests.

ALSO READ: How Pastor Adeboye, Oyedepo became more powerful than the President

Pat Robertson

Pat was born Marion Gordon Robertson. As a young man, he was ordained as a minister of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1961.

Years later, he decided to switch paths by running for the presidency in September 1986.

During his campaign, he handed over his ministerial credentials. He eventually lost to George H. W. Bush.

He dabbled in politics again in 2012 when he gave a prophecy concerning the presidential elections.

On January 4, 2012, Robertson said he had received a revelation from God saying “He showed me the next president.”

President Obama ended up winning even though Robertson had said that God told him Obama’s views were at “odds with the majority.”

Walter E. Fauntroy

Fauntroy is an interesting character. Like Osinbajo, he actually succeeded in having both a religious and political career.

He was a pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., a candidate for the 1972 and 1976 Democratic presidential nominations.

Fauntroy was also a Democratic delegate to the House of Representatives. He gave up his seat in Congress to run for mayor of Washington in 1990.

When he failed, he simply returned to full-time ministry after telling the Washington Post: “I put together a very careful and thorough plan, but unfortunately that never got over. But I believe that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord.”

Canaan Banana

Unlike most people on this list, Banana actually succeeded in becoming a president. He served as the first President of Zimbabwe from 18 April 1980 until 31 December 1987.

On the religious side, Banana was a Methodist minister, he maintained this position during his presidency. He was also the head of the religious department of the University of Zimbabwe.