Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta on Sunday called for prayers for politicians, saying that it is difficult for them to successfully run the Christian race.
Uduaghan said this in Benin at the Thanksgiving Service in honour of Maj.- Gen. Abel Umahi, the 4 Brigade Commander, who was recently elevated to that position.
He said that due to the nature of their work, politicians and security operatives, faced a difficult task in running the Christian race.
“As politicians and security service operatives, especially in the army, it is not always easy to run the Christian race successfully, because there are so many things that drag us down.
“We congratulate Umahi for being able to combine both. But for us as politicians, we urge the people and the church to pray for us.
“Because the people see us as always telling them lies and we continue in that part even when we know that the people know that we are telling lies.’’
The governor observed that Umahi had contributed immensely to the relative peace in the Niger Delta region.
“As head of the Joint Task Force, he always took the fight to the militants even in the difficult creeks.’’
Uduaghan described Umahi as a “rare gem” whom God had used to touch the lives of many people both as a clergyman and as a military man.
Earlier in his message entitled “It is good to give thanks to God’’, Pastor Nathaniel Adeyanju, charged members of the congregation to imbibe the spirit of gratitude to God for his benevolence towards us.
Adeyanju, quoted copiously from the books of Luke 17:12-19, Psalms 92:1 and 11:16, respectively, to underscore the importance of a grateful heart.
He noted that the sin of ingratitude was prevalent today as it was in the days of yore.
“I must say that ingratitude is a big sin in the sight of God but an expression of gratitude will give you unlimited access to God’s heart.”
In a remark, Umahi thanked the guests for honouring his invitation and attributed all his successes to God.
Some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ugbiyokho quarters included Deputy Gov. Pius Odubu, a former Edo Gov., Chief John Oyegun and former Minister of Defence, Maj-Gen Godwin Abbey.
The Edo Head of service, Mrs Ekiuwa Inneh, palace chiefs and retired army generals, among others, were also in attemdance.