Leader of Christian Praying Assembly (CPA), Dr Emeka Ezeugo, popularly called Rev King, a convict awaiting execution for the murder of a church member, has joined the 2019 Presidential race from prison, according to his members still milling around the Ajao Estate, Lagos base of the now depopulated church.

Residents of the Airport Road neighbourhood were surprised early this month to see campaign posters of Rev. King as President of Nigeria under the umbrella of the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance, APDA.

It would be recalled that the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem had in April, 2018 said Rev. Emeka Ezeugo, would get clemency and not go through the hangman’s noose, if he is worthy of it.

In recent weeks, adherents and followers of the convicted Rev. King had been visible within the estate in a resurgent effort to revive the movement which paled into insignificance upon his conviction. CPA was at a time the destination and preferred place of worship for many Nigerians who thronged the church on Sundays in hundreds.

Reminded that a convict cannot contest election in Nigeria, one of the adherents retorted that nobody can convict the King because he is not like any other mortal.

No APDA official was willing to respond to inquiries by Political Economist but the party on its website said: “It has become obvious that our present democratic value process has failed in all its ramifications to deliver the dividends of development to the majority of Nigerian people. This situation remains the primary and major challenge to building an all-embracing foundation for the nation’s unity and progress.

“The APDA is determined to create a new movement which is imbued with the values of empathy, social justice and knowledge of the deprivations and marginalization of the majority of citizens”.

Whether or not Rev King is a card carrying member of the party is yet to be ascertained, but the question still lingers as to who is behind the campaign posters and what this portends for the party and  to the nation’s politics.

Author: Theresa Igata