As the general elections in 2023 draw nearer, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, has urged Nigerians to abstain from buying and selling votes.
The request was made by the Catholic Bishop in his New Year's speech, "2023: Year of Practical Decision," delivered yesterday in Ado-Ekiti.
We must never let the continual, dishonourable vote-buying and selling in this year's elections, according to Ajakaye.
The preacher claimed that selling and purchasing our sins constituted crimes against humanity.
He said that citizens must reclaim their beloved country, Nigeria, from a small group of people who believed they were its original proprietors.
Ajakaye urged eligible voters who had not yet gotten their voter cards from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make the required effort and do so before the deadline.
He criticised the majority of political parties, nevertheless, for disregarding the law when they were in power.
The cleric said: “ Most political parties engage in fake primaries and want to win elections by all means.
They get to power crudely and behave true to type, which makes them selfish and treasury looters”.
The religious leader said that the country tended not to be having people with sterling qualities to lead, but instead being ruled by selfish and incompetent people devoid of positive and meaningful ideas.
The bishop further explained that while Nigerians prepared for the forthcoming general elections, they must work harder to turn their dreams and visions into realities.
Ajakaye said: “We should not continue to be indifferent when Nigeria keeps collapsing; we must put an end to our series of lamentations.”