Rev. Samson Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Monday urged Nigerians to avoid desperate politicians by voting only credible candidates in 2019.
Ayokunle made the remarks while briefing newsmen after a meeting with representatives of 14 Presidential Candidates in Abuja, on their plans for Nigerians and the church.
He said that the church decided to reach out to the stakeholders and the presidential candidates to ask them their credentials for aspiring to the highest position in the country.
According to him, the church cannot keep quite in this situation because the church can only prosper when a nation prospers. If the 2019 election is not free and fair all Nigerians will be in trouble including the church.
The cleric who expressed disappointment over the desperation of politicians towards the 2019 general elections said the motive for the meeting should not be taking for granted, adding that the security of Nigerians was paramount.
He urged the Independent Electoral Commission, (INEC), the Nigeria Army, the Police and other security agencies to abide by electoral rules to avoid crisis during and after the election.
“I spoke with President Muhammadu Buhari and he told him that when we conducted the 2015 elections people didn’t expect it to be so free and fair but the way it was conducted gave us a sense of pride in the international community.
“If the 2019 election is not better, if the police are not better behaved, if the army is not better behaved, if INEC is not better behaved the entire election process might be a failure.
“If politicians are not better behaved and they show desperation, it will be a failure. We are again warning politicians.
“The desperation we saw at the intra-party election is given us concern. If they can be so desperate and they end up fighting what will they do when they contest with opposition, the desperation is too much, “he said.
The CAN President urged Nigerians to beware of Jobless politicians whose job description is politics adding that such people should not be allowed to contest for any position.
“Leading Nigeria is a sacrifice. Why do you want to lead by force. Go and rest you do not need to destroy the entire land,” he said.
Ayokunle said that any politician that would want to lead Nigerians by all means should be regarded as a suspect.
On the electoral amendment, Ayokunle said:”The executive and legislature need to work together. When there is crisis between them like this, what they need to do is to put themselves together as partners in progress.”
He added that there should be a mutual understanding as they cannot afford to play with the future of Nigerians.
The cleric however said that everything that should be done must be done to make sure that the 2019 election is free and fair.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that those at the forum were the former governor of Anambra State and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi.
Others include: the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amechi, who represented the All Progressives Congress (APC) , the former Minister of Education Obi Ezekwesili who is the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress party of Nigeria, (ACPN) among others.(NAN)