The President of Nigerian Baptist Convention, (NBC) Revd Israel Akanji, has insisted that Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has no preferred presidential candidate rather he urged the people to vote according to their conscience not along ethnics or religious lines in 2023.
Rev’d Akanji who made this known at a media chat on Wednesday in Ibadan said CAN is after emergence of credible leader that would reposition the economy of the Country in 2023 not the one that would be elected along religious or ethnics lines.
He described the rumoured being peddled that the religious body as adopted a particular candidate as false, adding that at no point in time did leadership of CAN met to adopt any candidate.
According to him, “people have been encouraged to vote according to their conscience for people who will be of great benefits to Nigerians wherever they may come from.
“We believe that God who has always helped in Nigeria will help us again.”
He also urged candidates contesting for various elective positions to display a good spirit of sportsmanship rather than seeing elections as a do or die affair.
Rev’d Akanji stated that candidates deserve commendation for making up their minds to lead the country
It is wrong to abuse any person who is making the effort to make Nigeria a better country. Such people who are laying down their lives so that our nation can be developed and stable should not be castigated by those who are unwilling to make the kind of sacrifices they are making.
On the adoption of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Dr Peter Obi, by the duo of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Pa Edwin Clark, the Cleric said there is nothing wrong in their decision.
He said they have rights as citizens of this Nigeria to make their choices, adding that it is wrong for people to castigate them.
The clerics also raised the alarm over mass exodus of young Nigerian professionals to other countries, warning that it portend dangers to the economic growth
He blamed the unhealthy situation on unemployment, and, therefore, called on the government to address the situation.
According to him, the government has to ensure job security for our unemployed graduates so that the future of our nation will be preserved.
“Experienced professionals have deserted our hospitals due to very low pay.
“Medical equipment cannot be bought into the nation due to very high cost and unimaginably poor foreign exchange rate. The economy is so bad that everything has become very costly and Nigerian professional are being offered better emoluments all over the world.”
Rev’d Akanji also called on the government to look into the issue of epileptic power supply and deplorable condition of roads nationwide.
