‘Use 2019 Election to Rescue Nigeria from Bad Leaders’

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

The Diocese of Evo, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), has said the 2019 general election presents Nigerians an opportunity to rescue the country from bad leaders.

It also called on all Nigerians to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and use same to flush out leaders who failed to satisfy the yearnings and expectations of the citizenry.

The Diocese spoke in a communiqué issued at the end of the third session of its third synod held at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Elelenwo District in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

In a communique signed by the Diocesan Bishop and President of the Synod, Rt. Reverend Innocent Ordu; the Clerical Synod Secretary, Rev. Can Gospel Onuchukwu, and the Lay Synod Secretary, Sir Emma Izuehie, they noted that most politicians who are pretending to be leaders are actually enemies of the country.

The communiqué warned Christians not to entrust power in the hands of those who will wipe out Christianity in the country.

It said: “The synod urges Nigerians to use the opportunity presented by the 2019 elections to rescue the country from the hands of all those who have been pretending to be leaders but are in the real sense enemies of the country.

“Synod therefore calls on every Nigerian to get their PVCs and use them to flush out of office all the present leaders at all levels, who have failed to satisfy the yearnings and expectations of millions of our countrymen and women.

“The synod further warns Christians not to carelessly entrust power into the hands of those who will finally wipe out what is left of the Church of God in Nigeria.”

The church advised Nigerians not to base their choice of leaders according to party affiliation but ensure that they vote in people who will have the interest of the country no matter their party affiliation.

“The synod advises that party association should no longer be the consideration for voting in the coming year, rather, it should be based on candidates who are seeking to serve as sacrificial servant-leaders, God-fearing men and women, incorruptible, defenders of all, who will be just and equitable in their distribution of our commonwealth,” it advocated.

The Church further decried the federal government attitude in handling the killings linked to Fulani herdsmen across the country, while branding non-violent agitations in other parts of the country as terrorists.

It said such attitude presented the federal government as employing double-standards in the affairs of sections of the country.

The Communique said it “condemns the attitude and double-standards of the federal government in handling the menace of Fulani herdsmen who have been on a killing spree in some parts of the country, while government is quick to brand agitations in other parts of the country that are largely non-violent as terrorism. The same government fails to speak out against the killings by the herdsmen and indeed exonerates them of terrorism.”

It therefore called on government to rise up to its responsibilities and apply equal treatment to all sections of the country.