The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has prophesied in its New Year message to Nigerians that the dry bone of the nation shall rise again.
The president, CAN, Rev Samson Ayokunle, said this in his New Year message to Nigerians, signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant, Media &Communications to the CAN President on Monday in Abuja.
Ayokunle again prophesied that 2019 would be a year of peace, prosperity, rest of mind and a year when the Almighty God would miraculously intervene in the affairs of the nation.
According to the cleric, the year 2019 is a crucial year to all Nigerians because it is a year of general elections.
He urged all Nigerians to make sure that they abide in peace without being involved in violence throughout the year, especially before, during and after the election.
“We should all distant ourselves from electoral manipulation in whatever form,” he said.
Ayokunle urged politicians not to be too desperate to be voted into power and got involved in using thugs to cause chaos or commit electoral fraud.
He described vote buying as `evil’ and urged all stakeholders to shun it.
The cleric said all the law enforcement agencies, especially the Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed to maintain peace should not compromise their neutrality by working for desperate politicians.
“The military should not be dragged into the electoral process but instead, they should be allowed to face their primary responsibilities.
“Voters should not be intimidated and election observers should not be harassed like we witnessed in recent polls.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its personnel should maintain neutrality in their conducts before and throughout the election.
He reminded all Nigerians that without a free, fair and credible election which would bring credible leadership, the dry bones of Nigeria would not rise again.
The cleric appealed to Nigerians to return to God in repentance with a view to healing the country and restoring all our losses in the past years.
“As we enter into this New Year, it is natural to reflect over the previous year and consider gains and losses,” he appealed. (NAN)