By Julie Sylvia
MOST Christian churches across Nigeria have started mobilising their members to take advantage of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to get their permanent voters card so as to fully participate in electing credible leaders during the forthcoming 2023 general election.
Evangelist Joshua Chukwujekwu, the General Coordinator of Association of Evangelist, Anglican Communion Diocese on the Niger, made the declaration while fielding questions with AnambraDaily during the just concluded 32nd Synod of the Anglican Communion Diocese on the Niger at the All Saints Cathedral Onitsha, Anambra state.
โTime has come for Christians to come out in their numbers to vote for good leaders. What we are telling them is that our people should go and vote; even if it did not count, let it be on record that we performed our civic responsibilities. Vote for right and credible leaders, after voting, defend your vote. It is time to shine our eyes, no more siddon dey look as far as the Nigerian election is concernโ, he said.
โWe are part and parcel of whatever that is in Nigeria. We have a stake and share in this country. That is why I encourage Christians to support our people as well. There are credible leaders and some of us know them.
Chukwujekwu who is also the founder of His Glory Outreach ministry, appealed to Biafra agitators to shelve the idea of disruption of elections in 2023 and focus on using their bloc vote to elect leaders that would deliver on the expectations of people in the south east geopolitical zone. โIf you are not involved in voting on election day, being by the side agitating may not solve your problem. If you want to fight a battle, you have to be inside. If you were not where it was shared, you will only complain at the end of the day, you may not get your portionโ, he stressed.
Reacting to speculation that some dominant political parties may choose Muslims as their presidential and vice presidential candidates, he opined: โNigeria is a circular state and we must also consider the issue of religion and tribe in our political climate. A Christian presidential candidate choosing another Christian as a running mate will not go, so, any party trying to field two Muslims during the 2023 presidential election will not succeed.
Speaking on the just concluded synod, he said that what the participants learnt from the program was that Jesus Christ gave the Church the mandate to go into the world and preach the gospel and to make disciples. โI believe that some of the crisis we are witnessing today was as a result of those who are not disciples of Christ are at the helm of affairs of this country. If I have the fear of God, I will not kill or encourage things that will lead to bloodshed and suffering. As a child of God, there are things I will not do. We have to learn that it is time to go back to the drawing board and witness to God and draw Men to God because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.it is time for us to go back to the mandate given to church, to preach the gospel.
