Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on church leaders and Christians in the state to  participate actively in the coming general elections.
 
In an advisory endorsed by its Chairman, Bishop Christian Nyong, CAN said the right to participate in political and electoral processes is constitutionally guaranteed not, in any way, against the dictates of the Christian faith. It called on church leaders to embark on voter education.
 
It, however, warned: “Church leaders are not to undertake actions or partake in activities that are capable of inciting civil unrest or causing a breach of public peace.
 
“They must be sensitive to the concentrated anger that has been triggered by the fallout of recent economic policies and fuel scarcity in our country, which have foisted an unprecedented level of despondency on our land.”
 
Instead of taking to protests, the Christian body urged Christian leaders to “pray fervently for peace throughout this period and also counsel their members to earnestly seek and pursue peace.”

Restating the belief that power belongs to God, CAN cautioned candidates to be civil and temperate in their utterances during campaigns, noting that inflammatory utterances by politicians could derail the democratic process.

The body also advised church leaders not to yield to entreaties by desperate politicians aimed at penetrating the ranks of the church with a view to influencing the clergy to mobilise their adherents for politically motivated protests and demonstrations.

It pledged to partner with security agencies to ensure maintenance of peace.