2023: Be Ready to Accept Election Results, CAN Tells Parties
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged all the political parties and candidates seeking elective positions during the forthcoming general election to accept the results at the end of the polls.
In a statement signed by CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the body urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure that the election is seamless, credible, and violence-free.
Okoh urged citizens to resist any attempt to cause disharmony and disaffection ahead of the upcoming general elections.
‘We must see the elections as a time of peaceful transition of leadership and not war. Consequently, there’s need for all and sundry to put away religious and ethnic bigotry and allow the will of God to prevail.
“INEC must ensure that this election is seamless, credible, and violence-free. The commission has no excuse to fail. Four years is enough time for it to have perfected the process and eliminated the glitches that featured in past polls,” he said.
The CAN president further urged the authorities to beef up security, especially in communities vulnerable to attacks and ensure that no citizen is disenfranchised owing to precarious security situation in parts of the country.
“We charge the security agencies to be unbiased and remain neutral while discharging their duties, especially during the forthcoming general elections.
“CAN urges all the political parties and candidates seeking elective positions during the forthcoming general elections to accept the results of the polls in good faith in the interest of Nigerians and the unity of the country.
“The national leadership of CAN urges all the faithful in the country not to relent in praying for our dear country Nigeria because prayer is the most potent instrument of warfare at our disposal. Let us remind ourselves that the economic, political and security situations in the country do not give joy to anyone, but keep our hopes alive at this time,” he said.
The CAN leader also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently resolve the issues leading to
the gross shortage of Naira notes in the system, saying the situation is becoming unbearable.
“We note the current sufferings of the people which is gradually becoming unbearable due to the gross shortage of Naira notes in the system and plead with President Muhammadu Buhari to intensify efforts to mitigate the hardship,” he said.
