Alphonsus Nweze
The Archbishop of Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev.(Dr.) Valerian Okeke, has asked the Federal Government to provide adequate security as promised for the November 6 , 2021 Governorship election.
The Archbishop spoke weekend when he had an interaction with newsmen as part of his 68 years birthday, which he as usual celebrated with the inmates of Onitsha prison .
He said : The Federal Government promised adequate security. I think government will fulfill their promise”.
The Metropolitan, appealed to those who felt they have been aggrieved to resist the temptation of wasting the lives of fellow human beings, since killing is not solution to our problems.
He appealed to those who have decided not to come out to vote to have a change of mind because they are not helping the situation, rather aggravating it by not helping a better candidate to emerge.
“They are helping to bring incompetent person. They should come out and vote or they are helping a bad candidate indirectly” said the Archbishop.
He said the allegation against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of working to compromise the election in favour of a particular candidate is a presumption.
Archbishop Okeke said: I don’t think INEC will do that but if such happens, the solution is not to stop voting, but I urge INEC to do its job well and the political parties and their candidates not to put pressure on INEC and corrupt them”.
He said vote buying by political parties and their candidates are unacceptable and morally wrong but if they bring money to the voters, they should ignore it and cast their votes to a candidate of their choice.
Addressing the Governorship candidates during the birthday celebration earlier, the Archbishop had appealed to them to imbibe family spirit which is characterised by love, peace and harmony.
He charged the candidates to denounce any form of violence, insisting that they should resist any form of do or die or win by fire or by force spirit in Anambra State.
He asked them to shun politics of bitterness, bloodletting, division, favouritism, exclusion, excuses, back-stabbing and enmity.
The Archbishop appealed for the entronment of politics of family harmony, brotherliness, cooperation, development and peace as well as politics without bitterness in this electioneering.
” I desire a state that will be the consolation and motivation of Ndigbo, a state where politicians place the welfare of citizens as a priority; a state where politics is devoid of violence, bloodletting and bitterness.” Okeke prayed.
The birthday was graced by the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano and his wife, Ebelechukwu, former Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, Governorship candidate of APGA, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and his Deputy, Onyekachi Ibezim, Valentine Ozigbo, PDP, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, ZLP, National Chairman of APGA, Ozomkpu Victor Oye, Senator Victor Umeh, forner National chairman of APGA and others.
