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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, has called on members of the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act in line with the wishes of the people ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking during a pastoral visit to St. Columba’s Catholic Church, Maimo, Ikeduru Local Council Area of Imo State, on Sunday, the cleric expressed concerns over feelers from the National Assembly, saying Nigerians expect lawmakers to restore confidence in the electoral process. He cited the 2023 general election glitch as an example of what should not be repeated.
Ugorji urged citizens to register, vote, and resist money and godfatherism in politics, saying only the best should hold public office.
He said: “The scheduled 2027 general election is fast approaching. All hands must be on deck to get it right, this time.
“Feelers from the National Assembly are not giving most Nigerians cause for happiness. There are specific expectations of the people in the proposed amendments to the Electoral Act.
“We appeal to members of the National Assembly to take cognisance of people’s wishes, if they really appreciate that they are representing us, and amend the law, in line with the wishes of the citizenry.
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“We expect our lawmakers to do everything possible to restore people’s confidence in our electoral process. This is what will bring credibility and full participation of the people in the system.
“With the number of years already put into our democratic engineering, there are things that should no longer be experienced in the nation’s electoral system.
“We recall, with regret, how in the 2023 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the infamous glitch.
“This sadly dampened the enthusiasm of the voting public in the subsequent gubernatorial election. We do not want a repeat of that anomaly, in whatever form, in 2027.
“This is why the National Assembly should, please, help enact the appropriate law that will govern the electoral exercise.”
“We must bring out only the best among us for public offices. We must resist the temptation of allowing money bags and godfathers to buy their way into public offices”, Ugorji stated.
