Urge Nigerians to vote competent candidates into power
The Catholic Bishops of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province have warned against electoral violence occasioned by politics in Nigeria. The clerics said the increasing rate of the politically motivated violence is worrisome. In a communiqué co-signed by the President, His Grace, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of Lagos, and Secretary, His Lordship, Most Rev. (Dr.) Francis Obafemi Adesina, Bishop of Ijebu-Ode, the prelates of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province said despite signing of the Peace Accord by the political parties ahead of the general elections, most of the presidential candidates are not ready to abide by the letters of the accord. The statement read in part, “We are aware that most of the candidates for the Presidency of our country have earlier signed a peace accord initiated by the Peace Committee, put together by Elder Statesman, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar(Retd) and Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, pledging to play by the rules of the Electoral Act. We note with regret that some of them appear not to be adhering to the terms of the peace accord that they signed, given the rising cases of politically motivated violence across the country. If these are not checked, they are capable of truncating the electoral process.
“We, therefore, appeal to leaders of all the political parties to honour the agreement that they signed by prevailing on their supporters to refrain from violence and all forms of political thuggery, and adhere strictly to the provisions of the newly enacted Electoral Act. Similarly, we call on the law enforcement agencies and other relevant agencies of Government to work assiduously and impartially to ensure that peace prevails in the country before, during, and after the electoral processes.” While dissuading the electorate from sentimental voting, the Bishops called for free, fair and credible elections, as they urged all Nigerians to exercise their franchise as well as go out en-masse and cast their votes for capable leaders who will turn the nation around positively. The Bishops said, “We note with some concern that the forthcoming national elections commencing on February 25, 2023, will likely be among the most contentious in the history of our country, Nigeria. Yet, they offer another unique opportunity for all eligible citizens of this great country to rise to their civic responsibility by going out to vote for credible leaders with the capacity and competence to re-order the socio-economic and political dynamics of our nation, so that Nigerians can indeed have a new lease of life. We call on all eligible voters to ensure that they obtain their PVCs and come out enmasse to cast their votes. Let them set aside ethnic, religious, and political biases to vote in only the candidates who are most qualified to take our country along the path of true growth and development.”
On persecution of Christians the clerics noted that Nigeria ranks among top Christian-persecuting countries. They said, “There is no doubt that Christians in Nigeria are facing one of their most challenging times since the attainment of independence by Nigeria in 1960. According to available statistics, Nigeria is among the countries of the world in which Christians are most persecuted. We are all witnesses to the atrocities directed at communities that are predominantly Christian, as it is in Benue and Plateau states. We, therefore, once again call on the Government to rise to its statutory obligation to protect the life and property of Nigerians of all faiths and no faith, and give them a sense of belonging.” The Bishops tasked government on the need for national rebirth. The communiqué read in part, “That the ship of our nation is sinking rapidly is no exaggeration. This is not the same country that was bequeathed to us by our founding fathers. We cannot remain unconcerned while things continue to get out of hand, or else we shall, sooner than later, no longer have a country to call our own. We, therefore, appeal to Nigerians in all walks of life, including professionals, politicians, media practitioners, the judiciary, security agencies, traditional rulers, the clergy, and, indeed, the populace in general, to join hands to rebuild our nation. We can respond to this call for national rebirth by being the change that we desire, by making necessary adjustments to our daily activities to stand for the truth at all times. We should shun evil and all corrupt practices, and uphold whatever is just and edifying. It is time we began to say “No” to all the vices that weigh us down as a people, and promote positive values in all spheres of our national life.” The clerics however commended the Justice Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, under the Department of Church and Society of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), for all its efforts in sensitizing Nigerians to participate actively in the forthcoming national elections, and also for its effort in securing registration and accreditation for 6000 members of the Catholic Church to serve as Election Observers nationwide. The other Bishops of LEP include, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, Emeritus Archbishop of Lagos and Most Rev. (Dr.) Peter Odetoyinbo, Bishop of Abeokuta.
