The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, has said Nigerians will put into consideration competence and character when they go to the polls next year to elect President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.
The Archbishop, who stated this while delivering the sermon at the 2022 International Men’s Conference of Christ Holy Church International in Abuja yesterday, said the electorate would not use political parties as a deciding factor in the choice of candidate to succeed the president after his tenure in 2023.
According to him, Nigerians have gone beyond casting their votes based on the political party fielding candidates. He insisted that the electorate, particularly the Christians, will vote for candidates in the next general elections using their current capacities and antecedents as criteria.
According to him, “It is important that people of God at this time should have their eyes open. Before casting your votes, make sure you know the people you are giving your votes to.
The CAN President decried the menace of vote-buying in the country’s electoral system, saying the people must begin to interrogate the plans and programmes of politicians before deciding who will get their mandate for the next four years. He, however, cautioned politicians against making false promises to amass the people’s vote.
Okoh, who doubles as the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church International, also raised the alarm over the use of youths for political thuggery, noting that the development portends danger for the nation’s democracy.
The CAN President described Nigeria as one of the best places to live in, because of the liberties the people enjoy compared to the citizens of other nations.
The cleric noted that the problems facing Christians were not peculiar to Nigeria, but tasked the body of Christ to demonstrate leadership by providing hope to the rest of the country by faith in God. The sermon was titled: ‘By Faith, Give Leadership’.
