An Ondo State-based cleric, Pastor Adewale Giwa, has urged the Federal Government to pay more attention to fixing problems troubling the country rather than dissipating power on the 2023 general election.

Senior Pastor Giwa of the Awaiting the Second Coming of Christ Ministry (ATSCM), Akure, said this on the sidelines of the 20th Anniversary and Thanksgiving Service of the church on Sunday in an interview with newsmen.

Giwa also said that if the government should remove fuel subsidy as planned, more hardship would further be placed on Nigerians.

The clergyman admonished the Federal Government to run all inclusive-government, where all sections of the country would be carried along and would benefit.

“The 2023 election is not our problem now. They should put aside that election now and address salient issues affecting us.

“They should address insecurity, hunger, kidnapping. Only God knows what will happen if they neglect all these issues and focus on the election.

“Even without the removal of fuel subsidy, people still find it difficult to live. So, the removal of subsidy is nothing but nonsense.

“What Nigeria needs right now is to go back to regional government. Anything aside that is a failure.

“Abraham and Lot had similar problem in Genesis: 13. There were crisis between two of them, Abraham had to call Lot, in order to resolve this issue amicably, when you go to the south, I will go to the east, when you go to the west, I will go to the north.

“Lot had to agree with him and they separated. Who said separation is not in the bible. Anybody that says that is deceiving himself,” he said.

The cleric explained that if money budgeted to security is utilised judiciously by the executive, kidnapping and other criminal activities would be stopped in the country.

Speaking on the anniversary, Giwa recalled that he encountered great challenges as a founder of his church in the past 20 years, adding that God’s grace had been his support.