Chinedum Treasure
Labour Party (LP) Senatorial Candidate, Anambra Central, Ven. Tochukwu Ikezue has described as shameful silence Christian senators’ disposition to what he termed lumping of preaching in commercial buses with street hawking as offences of the same class.
The Senate had passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing a N50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles.
The bill, which seeks to strengthen road safety enforcement and curb practices considered capable of distracting drivers, now awaits presidential assent.
If signed into law, the legislation will also impose a N50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both, on motorists who refuse to cooperate with officials of the FRSC during roadside breath tests conducted on reasonable suspicion.
But the lawmaker hopeful, in a statement by his Campaign Council described the move as betrayal of faith, of conscience, and of the Constitution.
He called on National Assembly to immediately amend any section of law criminalizing or equating preaching in public transport with hawking.
The statement reads, “The Ven. Tochukwu Sagacious Ikezue Senatorial Campaign Council has received with shock and dismay reports that the National Assembly, in passing a recent public order or transport regulation bill, lumped _“preaching in commercial buses”_ together with _“street hawking”_ as offences of the same class.
“We state without equivocation: This is a betrayal of faith, of conscience, and of the Constitution.
“It is bad enough that such a law was proposed. It is worse that Christian Senators, elected to defend the rights of their people, sat in that chamber and allowed it to pass.
“They should cover their faces in shame. Where was their voice when the right to propagate one’s faith, guaranteed under Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, was being equated with petty trading?
“Preaching is not a commercial activity, hawking sells wares, preaching sells hope. One is regulated by commerce. The other is protected by fundamental rights.
“To place both in the same legal basket is to tell Nigerians that the Gospel is a nuisance to be cleared off the streets. No Christian Senator should have been party to approving such law.
“The Church sent men and women into the Senate to be salt and light. When salt loses its savour, it is good for nothing but to be trampled upon. Our Christian Senators must ask themselves: Did we represent Christ, or did we represent convenience?”
While calling on all Christian Senators to publicly dissociate themselves from the provision as they sponsor a bill for its repeal, Ikezue urged the Church to be more intentional about who it supports for public office, decrying that, “titles without conviction will always sell out the faith.”
“Anambra Central is home to millions of Christians who board buses daily and draw strength from the Word they hear on their way to work. If we cannot defend their right to hear that Word, then we have no business asking for their votes.
“The Labour Party believes in freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and the dignity of the poor. We will not be silent while the rights of Nigerians are traded away in the Senate. Let those who have ears hear.”
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