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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Twenty four hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced new dates for the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, a cleric, the lead Pastor of Revival House of Glory International Church (RHOGIC), Apostle Good heart Ekwueme, has warned Nigerians not to sell their conscience come 2023 general elections.
The commission that had earlier announced February 18, 2023 for the presidential election, on Saturday, fixed Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 25, 2023 while governorship and state assembly elections will now be held on March 11, 2023.
He said this while fielding questions from journalists at final session of Revival is Here Again International Conference (RIHA-IC) 2022, which also doubles as the church Thanksgiving Service to mark the fifth anniversary of the church.
According to the Abuja based cleric who is also the son of former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, said even though the church has been praying, it is also important that Nigerians exercise their civic responsibility by registering to get their voters card, do the needful by voting in leaders of their choice, warning them not sell their conscience in the 2023 elections else their will regret it.
According to him, since darkness is a backdrop for light to shine, “where we are is a great opportunity for us to make anything wrong in history to be right.”
Ekwueme said, “Well, transition is a very challenging moment between your yesterday and your tomorrow. You’ve left yesterday but you are not yet in your future. So it takes a lot of courage, boldness to focus on the future that God has shown you.
“Nigeria has gone through a very difficult history in the past few years and Nigeria is bleeding and we trust God that this will be an opportunity for the Lord to show us mercy and bring us into the nation of our dreams.
“We have a dream that in our lifetime, that the green passport will be well coveted and loved by everyone in the world; that what seems to be a pariah nation in the past will be coveted and desired by many. It’s my heart desire that I will live to see the Nigeria of our dreams.
“As people of God we’re praying (towards the 2023 elections); we will continue to pray. There’s nothing God can’t do to a prayer. Having said that, I believe that darkness is a backdrop for light to shine. So where we are is a great opportunity for us to make anything wrong in history to be right and we trust the Lord in return for our best.
“I speak to Nigerians. Let’s rise up to take advantage of our civic responsibility. Number one, register; number two, vote. Go out there and do the needful and please, please don’t let anybody buy your conscience. Vote your heart, vote your conscience and don’t be bought easily . It’s your right. You will regret doing that if in the next season, you wrongly bring in somebody who you’re not happy with.”
Ekwueme also spoke on the significance of RIHA-IC 2022.
He said, “It’s five years as a people in the city of Abuja and five is very symbolic for any true believer or child of God. Five is grace, and we believe God that it is a milestone worth celebrating, going back to God who began the work and we trust Him to release grace for the next phase and season.”
Speaking in the same vain, the guest speaker and President of Ecclesia Word Ministries International, New York, United States, Apostle John Tetsola, said Nigerians should use the privilege and opportunity of next year’s election to choose good leaders.
According to him, “What is key about choosing leaders is, you want leaders that are ready for transition and from time to time, make the nation to be very, very relevant.
“Now, part of what happens in situations like that, leaders have to think of the next generation, because it is the next generation that makes a nation to be strong, and to be very significant.”
He said he desires that in the coming 2023 elections, Nigerians would elect good leaders, whether in the Presidency, governorship, and others.
He said, “Nigerians should elect “men and probably women that understand the future needs and think more about the next generation.”
He said, “A key thing, in any nation that struggles whether what we call third world nation, although I don’t believe in a third world nation. The struggle of a nation is always based on the mindset. It is the way we think, that eventually affects the choices and the decisions that we make. That becomes the picture of the nations that we live in.
“So, the lifestyle of being a criminal, the lifestyle of robbery, stealing, and all these negativities that we can ascribe to a nation that happens in Nigeria is all as a result of the mindset.
“It is the most difficult thing to change. You can endeavor to change a nation, but you can’t change a nation without changing the mindset of the people.
“Now, the question is, how is a mindset change? Well, one of the first things is that, everyone that is part of a society have to make a commitment, that they are going to see things in a different way, and do things in a different way, from the way they used to doing it.
“That is just the beginning of the process. It’s a journey. It’s not something that happens overnight. But it’s an individual commitment that is made to see the journey becomes a reality.”
Other conference speakers were President Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Wale Oke, former National Secretary, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Overseer of Throneroom (Trust) Ministry, Kafanchan in Kaduna, Apostle Emmanuel Kure, the First Vice President of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Abioye and founder and Senior Pastor of the Eternity Network International, Apostle Joshua Salman.
Music ministers at the conference were, Nathienal Bassey, Dunsin Oyekan, Sensational Bamidele and the host choir, House of Judah.
