The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Enugu, Venerable Samuel Ike, has accused Nigeria’s political leaders of failing the country, saying many of them are corrupt and show little concern for the people they claim to serve.
Bishop Ike spoke during a church service on Sunday, and his remarks were captured in a video that went viral on Monday. He said the current leaders, both at the national and state levels, lack integrity and clear political values.
He said, “A present crop of national and sub-national leaders, to speak the truth, are corrupt. They are bereft of political principles.”
The Bishop added that the behaviour of many leaders shows no sense of responsibility to the public. According to him, “They have no political purpose or conscience. They seem to live for themselves, their families, and their cronies, and not for national interests. Their leadership is largely devoid of character and integrity.”
Bishop Ike also criticised politicians who have already begun preparing for the 2027 elections at a time when Nigeria is struggling with insecurity, economic hardship and poor governance.
“Many, including those in the presidency, are already campaigning for re-election in 2027, even in the midst of grave national crises such as poor governance, insecurity, jihadist attacks, Christian-targeted violence, high cost of living, and multiple taxation,” he said.
He added that these issues should be the priority of the nation’s leaders, not early political campaigns. “That is what preoccupies them. And yet they claim they are serving the people, which is far from the truth,” he said.
Despite his criticisms of the federal leadership, Bishop Ike praised the Enugu State Government for what he described as visible progress in infrastructure and development.
He said the state’s 1.62 trillion naira budget shows a commitment to ongoing reforms and renewal.
“Our dear governor has been instrumental in political and governance reforms in diverse ways. We thank God for all they are doing. We see the roads, urban re-engineering, and the momentum of development in Enugu,” he said.
