The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Wale Oke, has vowed that members of the Christian body will continue preaching in commercial buses and other public places despite the proposed restriction on such activities.

Oke, who spoke during a church sermon on Sunday, criticised the National Assembly over the proposed legislation, describing any attempt to prevent preaching in public spaces as contrary to the Christian mandate to spread the gospel.

The PFN president insisted that evangelism remained a core responsibility of Christians, adding that believers would continue to preach peacefully.

“Make all the stadiums in Nigeria become prisons; if you want to enforce that law, we are coming. We will break that law. Our Master told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” he said.

“We will preach in buses! We will preach everywhere! Because you are making evil decrees. We will rather obey God than man,” Oke added.

The cleric also criticised lawmakers for focusing on preaching activities while, according to him, insecurity and violent crimes remain major concerns in the country.

He questioned why attention was not being directed towards addressing issues such as kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities.

Oke’s comments followed public reactions to provisions linked to the proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, which reportedly include penalties for preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial vehicles.

However, the Senate has clarified that the restriction on preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles is not a new provision introduced by the ongoing amendment, but part of existing laws, including the Federal Road Safety Corps Act and National Road Traffic Regulations.

In a statement issued by the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs in the Office of the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate said the provision had existed since 2007.

The clarification followed public criticism after reports emerged that the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposed a N50,000 fine for persons convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles.

Several Christian leaders have also expressed concerns over the reported restriction.

The Founder of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enenche, argued that evangelism remains a fundamental Christian obligation, while urging that peaceful religious activities should not be unnecessarily restricted.

Similarly, the Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has maintained that evangelism is central to Christianity and encouraged believers to remain committed to spreading the gospel.