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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Bishop of Diocese of Kaduna (Anglican Communion) Dr. Timothy Yahaya has said that there is need for a national rebirth ahead of the forthcoming general elections in the country, asking electorate to resist the temptation of buying and selling votes.
This was even as the Bishop called on terrorists to drop their guns and go into dialogue with government as well as urging government to initiate dialogue with the terrorists in order to rid the country of seemingly unending insecurity.
Speaking to Reporters on his new year message shortly before the new year service at the Cathedral of St. Michael, Kaduna, the Cleric noted that morality was going down the drain in the country, humanity reduced to zero and life becoming a cheapest commodity.
He however said that the only solution in the present circumstance is an inclusive national rebirth among the citizenry.
To the electorate, he said, “don’t sell your votes, your votes speak for another four years. Selling your votes means you are worthless, money is not everything, votes selling and buying has put us in the condition we are in now, use your PVCs to vote competent leaders that will bring about the real change.
“Let me also use this medium to call on terrorists to change their ways of life, drop their guns and look for a formidable team to engage the government in dialogue for a way forward. They are also living in fears just as Nigerians are also living in fear, so genuine dialogue is the way to go.
“Dialogue is the way to go for a peaceful coexistence. The power of gun is limited and that of reasoning is unlimited, may God heal our land and give us God fearing leaders in this election year 2023”. He prayed.
Bishop Yahaya noted that, patriotism has become a thing of the past with people not giving considerations to things that binds them together but more interested in those things that are dividing them, adding that no nation grows when divided.
On the forthcoming general elections, Bishop Yahaya said, his call is for a peaceful, credible and transparent election where the wishes of the masses will be allowed to prevail.
“Politicians must play by the rule of the game and engage in activities of uniting the country. Religion and ethnicity does not build a leader but it’s quality and sincerity of purpose.
” What Nigeria needs now is credible candidates who fears God and that will not play a donor die politics or politics of sentiments or regionality.
“Sentiments and regions should be done away with in our choice of who becomes our leader. Voting on regionality should be discouraged because it amounts to chasing shadows, we must be united as a Nation to move forward.
” Most of the leaders have divided us and such division is used to disenfranchised us which is a worrisome thing and should be addressed holistically”.
On the vandalization of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in parts of the country, Bishop Yahaya said “it is a clear proof there is no security and if there are, that they are not proactive enough”.
“Those burning down INEC offices are distractors of our democracy who wants to pull the nation down because burning INEC offices will not fix the nation”.
