Pastor Paul Adefarasin, the Senior Pastor of House on the Rock, has come under fire from social media users after he condemned an assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump but remained silent on the violence during Nigeria’s 2023 general election.
On Saturday, July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania, a bullet struck Trump’s right ear at a campaign rally, resulting in one death and serious injury to another individual. Pastor Adefarasin expressed gratitude for Trump’s survival and extended condolences to the deceased's family. His statement, released on social media, read:
"We condemn political violence in the leading democracy of the free world. We are thankful to God for the survival of former President Donald J. Trump without fatal injury. We extend our condolences to the family of the deceased spectator and offer our prayers for the injured. Our prayers remain for a speedy and total recovery of former President Trump.
We applaud the rapid response of the Secret Service and are grateful that the assassination attempt failed. This allows Donald Trump to continue in the democratic process. We salute President Biden for condemning the assassination attempt and for his conversation with Donald Trump.
Our prayers are with both candidates and the democratic process in America. As Africans, we draw inspiration from the American democratic process. Long live American democracy, and may God bless America."
However, the pastor’s comments have been met with harsh criticism from Nigerians who accused him of ignoring the violence and deaths that occurred during Nigeria’s recent elections. Social media users quickly flooded Adefarasin's comment section, calling out what they perceived as hypocrisy.
The backlash against Pastor Adefarasin highlights a broader frustration among Nigerians regarding the lack of attention to domestic issues by prominent figures, especially in the context of violent political events.
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