Church leaders in Abia have cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies, and the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to ensure that the Saturday 18th March 2023 Governorship/State Assembly Election in the state is free, fair and credible, while warning saboteurs to stay clear.
Briefing newsmen in Umuahia, Thursday afternoon, the church leaders, under the aegis of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the state chairman, Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Agomoh said, “We have authoritative and reliable information that during the 25th February elections, the Abia State REC was occasioned to step aside by saboteurs who were supposed to assist him to conduct free, fair and credible polls for our people”.
According to him, “As we approach the next elections on Saturday 18th March 2023, we caution these saboteurs and elements to desist from such acts that mar the electoral process and further their selfish agenda. Abians are aware of their unscrupulous acts and the citizens are more conscious of their rights now than ever.
“In the light of the above, we strongly advise the acting REC in the person of the Administrative Secretary to be careful not to allow himself to be exploited or manipulated by anybody or group to subvert the sovereign will of our people by tampering with the votes during and after the forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
“We are aware of the popular statement: “If you don’t like the result, go to court”, and would like to remind Abians that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Therefore, we must conduct ourselves responsibly to ensure that should any faction require to approach the Court it would be for avoidable matters in issue.
“We equally appeal to all INEC staff – both full-time and ad-hoc to vehemently resist the temptation to receive bribes or gratification from anybody or group towards manipulating the votes and stealing the mandate of the people. This appeal extends to the NYSC members working for INEC to ensure they are not co-opted by corrupt politicians to sacrifice their future destinies on the altar of immediate and mundane gains”, CAN said.
Making their stand known about a trending video in the social media where a PDP faithful was threatening voters with death, CAN said, “Today, we are constrained to address the public again following subsequent observations and unfolding events in the Nigerian political/electoral space, particularly in Abia State.
“We saw, a few days ago, a video of a man threatening that his candidate must win even if it means sacrificing human beings. We commend the security agencies for containing him and reiterate that the Agencies should not rest on their oars as elements are planning to unleash mayhem, disrupt the electoral process, and steal the people’s mandate come Saturday 18th March 2023.
“The Church Leaders call for each citizen to act responsibly in playing their roles as we will all answer to posterity, and most importantly, God.
“Youths should desist from political thuggery and violence; voters should shun all forms of vote buying, nepotism, and corruption; and INEC officials should conduct themselves responsibly, shun tardiness by arriving at polling units early with all necessary materials and conducting the election fairly and transparently, ensuring that all approved legal procedures and guidelines are strictly followed from early distribution of materials, conduct at polling units, use of BVAS machines, collation and uploading certified results at the polling units”, adding “Let our Collective righteousness exalt our nation”.
The organization pleaded, “We will continue to pray for peace, justice, and progress, and we believe that God has answered our prayers.
“We wish to state that every believer is called to faithful citizenship, to become an informed, active, and responsible participant in working for the common good.
“The period of general elections challenges us to see our civic and political responsibilities through the eyes of faith and to work hard to ensure that only people with competence and integrity, and who share our common values and vision are elected into political offices.
‘Building a just social and civil order, wherein each person receives what is his or her due, is an essential task which every generation of Christians in the State must take up anew. It is time for the people of Abia to rise to their civic and political responsibilities and take up their political destiny into their hands.
Let us, therefore, do our part as God’s children towards the peace, justice, and progress of our state and nation”.
In their separate speeches, the Most Rev. Chibuzo Raphael Opoko, the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia, and Bishop Elekwa Chikezie Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Abia State Chapter urged every Abian to seek the face of God through fasting and praying, and encouraged them to vote according to their conscience.
