Cleric warns against mono-faith candidature in 2023 election

The Presiding Bishop of Rhema Christian Church (RCCT) and the Apostolic Presbyter at Christ Global Network (CGN), Bishop Taiwo Akinola, yesterday called on Christians and patriotic Nigerians to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to be able to vote in the 2023 general elections.

The cleric said this at the New Wine/Fresh Fire Conference organised by the Christ Global Network (CGN).

Commenting on the same-faith ticket candidature of some political parties, Akinola observed that such choice would further entrench national division, calling on those that have taken such decisions to rescind it.

According to him, a Muslim-Muslim ticket would unwittingly fuel the real or preconceived allegation of Islamisation agenda, which will further exacerbate the nation’s prevalent political and religious crisis. He added that it would be commonsensical and a patriotic appreciation of Nigeria’s religious diversity to totally avoid it.

He said: “We are all aware that the idea of a mono-faith candidature is being contemplated in some leading political circles, but as freeborn and bonafide citizens of this great country, we are deeply concerned about the potential consequences of such arrangement.

“We strongly advise all political parties, and their candidates that same-faith candidature is certainly not a route to take at all in today’s Nigeria, where religion is one of the major dividing lines.”

The bishop urged all major political parties in the country to strike a balance along religious lines for united and peaceful co-existence of the ethnic groups.

He called on the people to resist any politicians that would inflame the polity in the name of winning elections, stressing that as long as the people keep quiet, political leaders will continue to think that nobody knows what is right, or that they are special specie with privileges to live above the law.

He noted that the Muslim-muslim or Christian-christian permutations of some political parties are not only insensitive, immoral, unjust, grossly disrespectful to the faith of others, but conspicuously suspicious, and tendentious to violence.

The cleric observed that any presidential candidate that succumbs to a mono-faith ticket would find out too late that he has unwittingly increased the numerical strength of his opponents, and has equally invigorated zestful anger in the hearts of ordinary citizens in the country.

“Truth is, on merits, no region or religion has the monopoly of qualified people who have the capabilities to serve as presidents or running mates to presidential candidates. Everyone in Nigeria is important, and every religious choice is honoured in our secularist constitution. What is not acceptable in the current political permutations is the entrenched domination of one over the other.

“A situation where a certain region or group considers it as its right to rule perpetually, and others are stylishly played out from the scheme of things, should be called out what it is — insensitive, condescending and brazenly disrespectful — and should be tipped by all for failure, ab initio.”

The Presbyter called on Church leaders, Christians and social influencers to stand for the truth and speak against corruption, nepotism, ethnocentrism, political deceit, injustices, impunity, among other ills prevalent in the country.