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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, have warned Nigerians, particularly political leaders against falling into the script of people and countries that do not mean well for Nigeria and were predicting doom for the country ahead of next year’s general elections.
They stated this in separate remarks at the fourth quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, yesterday.
The Sultan who is the co-chairman of the organisation challenged Nigerians to disappoint prophets of doom by approaching the elections with the spirit of sportsmanship and not a do-or-die affair.
“I don’t believe in the general statement that 2023 general elections is a make or mar time for Nigeria. The election will be a peaceful and successful one to the disappointment of the enemies of the country. But to achieve that, we must not play to the hands of enemies of Nigeria who are promoting hate and divisive campaigns that the coming elections will decide the fate of this country.
“No one but Allah can decide the fate of Nigeria and every other country in the world. Let’s not play into their hands and agenda. Rather, we should go out and campaign, and when the time for election comes, cast our vote and leave the rest for God. These countries that are predicting and promoting doom for Nigeria also have their numerous problems.”
Sultan Abubakar charged Nigerians to look for home grown solutions to its problems and not entertain unrealistic predictions from western world.
In the same vein, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, who is also co-chairman of the Council, advocated regular conversation with all stakeholders, particularly the political class so that they see election as a channel of service to the people and not do-or -die contest.
He said to usher in the expected freshness in the country, the new set of political leaders that would emerge after the 2023 general elections and all Nigerians must collectively resolve to deal with the culture of impunity that places the political class above the law, and which deprives ordinary citizens of their legitimate rights.
He also recommended strong institutions that would checkmate or regulate electoral violence, stressing that otherwise would allow defaulters to get away with heinous crimes that ought to be punished.
He suggested that hate campaign speeches by politicians that paint the opposition in a derogatory and defamatory language should also be discouraged.
