Nigeria: African Church Leaders Appeal for Calm Over Presidential Election Outcome

29 March 2023
Leadership (Abuja)
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A pan-African body comprising churches on the continent, Organisation of African International Churches (OAIC) has appealed to the political gladiators in the just-concluded Nigeria's presidential election to work together for the good of the country instead of engaging in a bitter feud and rivalry.

In a communique signed by OAIC regional president His Most Eminence Israel Akinadewo and secretary Victor Ivoke, after the organisation's maiden 2023 regional meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, they said, "Now that the elections are over, we urge both the winners and losers to forget about the bitter campaigns and work together for the peace and prosperity of the nation."

Akinadewo said the church as an indispensable part of the society believes that political authority is ordained by God.

"We believe that no leader can emerge if God has not ordained such a leader. It is therefore imperative that those in political authority should strive at all times to pursue and advance policies that promote the common good of all citizens irrespective of their doctrinal, political or tribal leanings," he said.

The group, however, condemned the rising insecurity saying, "We decry the activities of terrorists and insurgents, kidnappers and bandits that appear to have taken the nation hostage."

This, it lamented, was happening at a time the country was battling with diverse economic hardships.

OAIC, which described the church as the bastion of hope, said where political leaders however fail, the church cannot afford to fail.

To that extent, it condemned what it called divisive prophetic utterances in the wake of the last election, saying, "We must continue to raise our prophetic voices on matters that affect the nation as leaders in our own rights. We must not fail those that look up to us but must continue to point the nation to the path of righteousness and exemplary conduct.

We however observed with dismay conflicting prophesies oozing out from pulpits of renowned pastors and prophets in the wake of the general elections and caution that men should not take the mercy of God for granted by speaking in the name of the Almighty God when He (God) has not spoken."

It therefore urged Christians to pray fervently for the country.

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