The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withhold assent to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Amendment Bill, 2026.
Briefing journalists after the fellowship’s third-quarter National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lagos, PFN National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, noted that the proposed legislation banning preaching in commercial vehicles is discriminatory and specifically targets Christians.
According to Pastor Bakare, while the PFN appreciates the efforts of the FRSC and the National Assembly to improve road safety, it believes the proposed legislation is unnecessary and could fuel avoidable religious tension.
“We appreciate the intention of the Federal Road Safety Corps and the National Assembly to strengthen road safety. However, we believe this proposed legislation is unnecessary and capable of creating avoidable religious tension in a country as sensitive as Nigeria,” it said.
PFN added, “Nigeria today is battling insecurity, hunger, unemployment and economic hardship. These are the issues that should engage the attention of lawmakers, not a law that appears to criminalise peaceful preaching.
“There is no evidence before Nigerians that preaching in commercial vehicles has caused road crashes. If the concern is distraction, then every form of distraction should be addressed, not one that gives the impression that Christians are being singled out”.
It stressed, “The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and freedom of expression. Any law that appears to restrict those rights must be approached with great caution,”
Expressing concern over reports that the bill could be awaiting presidential assent without completing the legislative process, PFN noted, “We are also worried by reports that the bill is awaiting presidential assent without completing the legislative process, including concurrence by the House of Representatives. If that is the case, due process must be followed.”
While appealing to President Tinubu to return the bill for wider consultation rather than sign it into law, it insisted that stakeholders likely to be affected should be given the opportunity to make their contributions.
“We do not want confrontation with the government. We only appeal to Mr President to return the bill for wider consultation. Stakeholders should be heard. Otherwise, Christians will naturally see it as an attempt to restrict their constitutional right to preach the Gospel peacefully,” it said.