2023: Bishop Adeoye urges Buhari, INEC to ensure free, fair polls, as Cardinal Onaiyekan warns politicians

Ahead of the 2023 General Election in the country, beginning in February, 2023, the Director of Information of World Bishops’ Council (WBC) in Africa, Bishop Seun Adeoye, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure free and fair election in order to ‘save Nigeria from total disintegration,’ while adding that ‘Nigeria as an entity was God’s plan.’

This is just as the Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has also declared that the forthcoming 2023 General Election in the country ‘will no longer be business as usual,’ as he further cautioned politicians against any attempt to rig the political exercise.

Bishop Adeoye, who is the Nigeria Lead Bishop of Worldwide Anglican Church (WAC) and the founder of Sufficient Grace and Truth Ministries, Okinni, Osun State, in a statement titled; “Grace upon Grace”, issued, last Wednesday, also declared that the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr Peter Obi, ‘is God’s choice for the country’s Presidency,’ insisting that his candidature was a divine arrangement to rescue the country from imminent collapse.

According to the cleric, apart from the array of endorsements for LP presidential candidate, Obi’s major support base came from the spiritual realm and only those operating at that level can fully understand this.

“In 2015 and in 2019, I told Nigerians of what God said to me would befall this country if Muhammadu Buhari was voted as the Nigeria president. Good enough, the statements are still on the internet. As I said then, so it is today.

“In May 2021 even before the emergence of any presidential candidate, I issued a statement of what God told me about the 2023 election and about ‘a wise man from the East who can see the star, recognize it and find the place where the glory of the land resides’. That man is Peter Obi.

“As I was on my knees praying for Nigeria, God said to me ‘APC is greedy, overfed and drunk while PDP is habitually gluttonous’. These are just the descriptions of their top flag bearers. No apology for saying what the Lord said to me.

“I wish Nigerians will listen and follow the path God wants for us or we may decide to do what we want for ourselves. God will never force His will on anyone. It is our choice to either obey God or refuse to obey Him and suffer the consequences”, he said.

Meanwhile, speaking during the celebration of his 40th anniversary as Bishop, at the Holy Trinity Church, Maitama, Abuja, Saturday, the Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has stated that the forthcoming 2023 General Election in the country ‘will no longer be business as usual,’ as he further cautioned politicians against any attempt to rig the political exercise.

Cardinal Onaiyekan who assured that he has no preferred candidate in the forthcoming poll, added that his advice was meant for the politicians to understand that ‘the mood in which Nigeria now is, is not a mood that they will quietly accept a rigged election.’

“With the current yearnings of the people for a better country, the election will no longer be business as usual.

“As regards to the results of the elections, politicians should desist from any form of manipulations to their favour if not voted for.

“All those who are planning to play games and scheme to rig in order to frustrate the desire of the decision of the people as regards the results of the elections, should desists from such.

“All of them whether they are in government or not; they should desist from rigging or causing violence, they should not do it, they should allow this election to run in a free and fair way,” he noted.

“For the sake of peace, there will be serious repercussions if anybody doesn’t allow a free and fair elections. It won’t be business as usual, anymore.

“I want Nigerians to know that they can no longer keep quiet all the time, hoping that things will change; that God will work miracles.”

The cleric further advised Nigerians to use their voter cards to express their minds, as, according to him, the outcome of the election will not be about who has more campaign posters or can mobilise more crowds to stadiums.

“It will depend on who can convince Nigerians, and give us a new kind of government.

“Government that is based on people interested in working for the common good and not out to enrich themselves or stay in power or protect their stolen wealth so as not to be queried,” he said.

The Archbishop advised politicians to fear God, as they would answer to their actions before Him.

“Even if no one asks questions, God will ask questions and He has His way of asking questions,” he added.

Remarking at the event, the Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, His Grace Ignatius Kaigama, described the cardinal as a man of humility and peace.

“So, we celebrate God’s gift to us in Nigeria, Abuja and in the world and i am happy that God has spared him thus far,” Kaigama said.