By Godwin Utuedoye,
WARRI, MISSIONARY NEWS: Catholic Bishops in Nigeria have called for earnest prayers and advocate for peaceful election come February 16, 2019.
In a statement titled, “Let us turn to God in prayer for our nation”, and signed by Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze, president of CBCN and his Secretary, Most Rev. Camillus Umoh, the statement stated that; as the election day draw closer, there is a lot of anxiety. “We are right to feel a sense of trepidation largely because of where we have come from in the last few years. However, in spite of everything, we have remained united in prayers for a new dawn for our nation”.
”Our hope does not disappoint us because the love of God has been poured into our hearts” (Rom.5.5).
The statement further read; elections should therefore be for us a time for sober reflection on our future as a people. We should further reflect on how to keep our country and our people united and peaceful. With the resources available to us as a country, we can achieve this.
The bishops note that the world is looking up to us and expecting much from us. Elections give us an opportunity to assess those who want to govern us. We must therefore think very carefully, because electing our leaders comes with moral obligations and responsibilities. We wish to appeal to our fellow citizens to please put cynicism aside and go out to cast their votes on election day, guided by their conscience.
We further appeal to the Security Agencies and INEC to rise up to their duties and responsibilities to ensure that we have peaceful, free, fair and credible elections. We nevertheless reiterate that the primary responsibility for this lies with the government. We are encouraged by the recent declaration of the President in this regard. Our future depends on this and we urge the relevant bodies to put our nation before any other consideration.
The bishops however invites fellow Nigerians to turn to God in these trying times.
“We know that God has shown and continues to show His love and care for us, the statement reads”.
They maintained that it is time to continue to pray for our brothers and sisters who are in politics, especially those of them who are seeking elective positions. They have offered themselves to us to consider them for public service (cf 1. Tim. 2:1-2). And to those our brothers and sisters either already in office or seeking to be elected, we say, be effective witnesses to TRUTH and LIGHT for the common good otherwise we invite you to bow out, they added.
The bishops call on Christians especially Catholics to fast and pray for a peaceful elections.
“Conscious of the power of prayers in times like these, we therefore direct all Catholics to fast and pray (especially the Holy Rosary) for three days; 13-15 February 2019.
We entrust our nation to the maternal protection of Our Lady, Queen of Nigeria and Queen of Peace”.