OWEN Nwokolo, the Anglican Bishop on the Niger, has urged politicians, especially those seeking elective offices in the upcoming General Elections, not to see it as a do-or-die enterprise.

“Elections should rather be interactive social game, at the end of which winners are entrusted with the commonwealth of the nation for the good of all,’’ Nwokolo said this while interacting with newsmen at Onitsha.

He expressed grave dissatisfaction over the manner that some politicians currently go about the 2019 general elections.

“Unguarded utterances and actions of some politicians are becoming worrisome on daily basis. They seem to regard elections as a matter of life-and-death.

“The way I see them go about this 2019 General Elections is not encouraging at all.

“They should rethink the apparent fear-inspiring rascality of their present composure, which Nigerians now read in their words and actions.

“It is not late for them to make amends now.  I sincerely implore them not only to be ethically and morally guided in their ongoing electioneering, campaigns but as well to be bound by the rules of the game of decent politics,’’ the bishop said.

Nwokolo, who is also the chairman, Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN, Anambra State, noted that most Nigerians today live in fear, due to reckless utterances of politicians.

“In every election some candidates are bound to win while others are in the same token, bound to lose.”

The bishop, then, appealed to candidates of various elective offices and their supporters to take the elections as normal social games, adding, nobody has ever died losing an election.

“If you lose in 2019, take it easy. That should not be the end of life, for 2023 is yet another opportunity for you if we do not destroy the system by recklessness and thoughtlessness.’’

He, then, called on people to come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choices.

The cleric also counselled against vote selling, saying that the action amounted to selling of one’s conscience.

He also appealed to the would-be winners to carry out their election promises, as failure would be capable of impugning on their credibility and respect.

– Jan. 22, 2019 @ 18:35 GMT |