By Emmanuel Uzodinma Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba has described the situation of Ni...
By Emmanuel Uzodinma
Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most
Rev. Henry Ndukuba has described the situation of Nigeria as worrisome.
The church leader spoke in Enugu on Saturday at the Good
Shepherd Specialist Hospital, where he commissioned the Ear, Nose and Throat,
ENT, Centre of the hospital.
DAILY POST reports that the hospital belongs to the Anglican
Diocese of Enugu.
The function is part of the activities lined up for a
thanksgiving service by the Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop of Enugu
Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma who is due for retirement next year.
The Primate said with the 2023 general elections a few weeks
away, it was incumbent on the citizens to change the status quo.
“Every Nigerian is aware of something- that things have
fallen apart; it is clear that the centre cannot hold, because those leading us
politically now have one way or the other compromised the things that needed to
be done for their own selfish or sensational interests
“Because of that, Nigeria has become ungovernable in terms
of insecurity, hunger, poverty and sorts of things that have gone wrong,” he
declared.
While blaming some of the country’s problems on
sectionalization of leadership positions, Ndukuba urged politicians to place
the interest of the country above self.
He said there could be no peace in the absence of justice.
According to him, “Even in the appointment of those who take
care of the different sectors of the economy and all areas of government, look
at when we talk of security, when we talk of economy, when we talk of
education, when we talk of even water resources, you see the same group of
people.
“This is a nation that is multicultural, multi-linguistic,
multi-ethnic and multi-religious, yet a group, a section of this nation has
hijacked everything.
“And it is the same people that will begin to cry woe
tomorrow when other people do the same. I think ‘do unto others as you would
want them do to you’ is a very wonderful principle, both in the scriptures and
in dealing with one another.
“The way things have gone has not been for the good of the
citizens of this nation; those in authority may have tried their best but in
some cases, they lacked the political will to take the stand they should take
in order to make things work and where there is no justice, there can never be
peace, where some sections are oppressed, I believe that the country will not
be healthy and that is what we have suffered so far.”
The Primate then charged the electorate to use their voting
power and change the current state of things in the country.
“If you know that you have not liked the way things have
gone, and you know that things can be better, this is the time everyone of us,
citizens of Nigeria must get involved. Thank God for this opportunity for us to
use the printing of our thumb to change the government.
“We want to urge our people, every citizen, go and collect
your PVC and do not sell your PVC. February 25, go out and vote, vote for
people, leaders that will be mindful of our plight, of our suffering, vote for
credible people, vote for those who are not out there for what they will get;
vote for those who will be touched by the plight of ordinary Nigerians.
“We are believing God that Nheria must change and get
better. All of us have a role to play and this role, we must never fail. We
will continue to pray but prayer is not enough.
“We are not voting for any party, we are voting for those
who can stand; so no matter their party, what we want is a credible individual
that will represent us well. Vote for people and not just party; don’t sell
your vote,” he further stated.
He charged the Independent National Electoral Commission,
INEC, “to make sure that this election is fair and credible and handled in such
a way that there will be fairness to all and the records will not be tampered
with.”
He demanded that none of the key INEC officers should be
changed “until this work is done and finished.
“We pray that God will give us such a peaceful election.
“As the politicians continue their campaigns, we are asking
that they be mindful that the campaign should be on issues and policies, on
things they will do.
“Although in Nigeria all of them are saying the same thing,
we know those that can deliver; let us go for them. Remember what you have been
through, let us use this opportunity to make a turn around and progress that
will take us to the promised land.
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