Anglican Church urges truce between Wike, Amaechi

Decries FG’s inability to tackle insecurity, others

The Diocese of Evo, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in Rivers State has expressed deep concern over the protracted disagreement between Governor Nyesom Wike and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

A communiqué issued at the end of the first session of its fifth synod at St. Michael’s Anglican Church, Rumuomasi Deanery over the weekend, said for the good and the development of the state, there was urgent need for reconciliation of the two brothers.

Signed by the diocesan Bishop and President of Synod, Rt. Rev. Innocent Ordu and Clerical Synod Secretary, Rev. Can. Gospel Onuchukwu, the communiqué also deplored Federal Government’s seeming inability to “address the myriad of problems confronting the nation, ranging from the diversity of the people and their aspirations, insecurity to exclusiveness in the running of the affairs of the country.”

It noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration took power amid promises to deliver, but regretted that Nigerians had been left disappointed.

The synod called on Christians and the citizenry to be committed to God and humanity, even as it charged people in positions of leadership to be servant-leaders besides being driven by the desire to serve the Nigerians.

The communiqué reads in part: “The synod notes with sadness that the present administration has also disappointed the nation in managing the economy as the prices of goods and services have risen beyond the reach of the common man, throwing a greater percentage of the populace into abject poverty.

“Expresses worry at the heightened incidence of kidnap of Bishops, priests and other ministers of God; the killing of Christians and sacking of Christian communities by some religious fanatics claiming to be protecting and propagating their destructive faith in Nigeria while bandits, extremist groups such as the Boko Haram (sect), Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and killer herdsmen are overrunning the country.”

The meeting “condemns the continued disruption of academic and other activities in the nation’s universities for more than six months and the Federal Government’s inability to resolve the impasse with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for the students to go back to school.

“Urges the voting populace to be properly guided and participate fully in the electoral process leading to, and the 2023 general elections to elect true nationalists, God-fearing, experienced, detribalised, frugal and people-centred Nigerians for all offices in the land.

“Encourages the electorate not to be carried away by the huge cash and other means of inducement the politicians would introduce to buy their votes,” advising the electorate to be discernable, as “vote-buying or the offensively merchandised electoral system will only increase and prolong the present sufferings of the people.”

The synod “encourages all Nigerians to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and cast their votes when the 2023 general elections come and most importantly, for those who are coming to serve and have something better to offer Nigerians.”