Group Cautions Electorate Against Division, Manipulations

AHEAD of the general elections, electorate have been warned to be wary of saboteurs, who are bent on exploring religion as a tool for division and manipulations.

  Religious leaders are also warned to stop preaching hatred or inciting their followers against others, but to preach and teach to encourage faithful to love one another and fear God in all their dealings.

  The warnings were issued at a Press Conference organised by the Non-Violence For African Development (NOVAD), addressed by a prominent Christian leader from Sokoto, Rev. Haruna Karatu, who is the head of the delegation of the Northern Nigeria Churches to the South in Lagos at the weekend. 

  It was the fallout of the first Round Table Peace meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, last Thursday by Muslim and Christian leaders from Northern Nigeria to brainstorm on the spate of insecurity in the area.

   Karatu said the electorate should know that no political party in the country belongs to one religion but that people of different faiths are in all the parties, adding that the masses must not allow themselves to be used to kill, maim or destroy their innocent neighbours in their effort to defend their political interests.

  While condemning religious leaders, who have allowed themselves to be bought over with money, which had debarred them from speaking the truth to political leaders, warned them from giving cover to followers who foster evil.

Karatu pointed out that the Nigeria political terrain presently is volatile as a result of the ongoing political campaigns for the general elections, which is causing fear and apprehension of political violence and of great concern to all well-meaning Nigerians.

  He noted that government at all levels should ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible through their policies, actions and speeches, stressing that INEC is called upon to play her role as an unbiased umpire and ensure that electoral materials are distributed on time and conduct the whole elections transparently.
   

   On moves to salvage the North, Karatu said Northerners are coming together now to progress politically and restore the lost glory, saying the general believe of Nigerians that Boko Haram is waging war against the Church is untrue because their war is against Nigeria and even Northerners, too, are no more safe. 

  On his part, the International Director of NOVAD, Pastor Ladi Peter Thompson, who lamented that something has gone terribly wrong in the Nigerian churches noted that at present, while Muslims are calling for peace, the Christians are baying for blood like hounds.

  He noted that by experience returning violence for violence simply multiplies violence to increase darkness in the hearts of men but despite knowing that hatred cannot drive out hatred, yet the church has chosen to mobilise the Southern polity based on a hatred for the Boko Haram.