The Bishop of the Diocese of Kaduna (Anglican Communion) The Rt. The Rev. Dr. Timothy Yahaya has said that Nigeria needs a national renaissance.
Speaking to reporters shortly before the new service at St. Michael’s Cathedral, the Anglican bishop denounced the lack of morality in Nigeria, adding that humanity has been reduced to zero and life has become a cheap commodity. He stressed that the only solution in the present circumstance is an inclusive national renaissance.
He said that patriotism has become a thing of the past, adding that people no longer consider the things that unite us. He lamented that people are more interested in the things that divide us, making it difficult for the nation to grow.
On the upcoming general elections, Bishop Yahaya called for peaceful, credible and transparent elections in which the wishes of the masses are allowed to prevail.
“Politicians must play by the rules of the game and participate in activities to unite the country. Religion and ethnicity do not build a leader but their quality and sincerity of purpose.
“What Nigeria needs now are credible, God-fearing candidates who don’t play donor politics or sentimental politics or regionality.
“Sentiments and regions must be eliminated in our choice of who becomes our leader. Voting by regionality should be discouraged because it is equivalent to chasing shadows, we must be united as a Nation to get ahead.
“Most leaders have divided us and that division is used to disenfranchise us, which is worrying and needs to be addressed comprehensively.”
Regarding the vandalism of the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bishop Yahaya said that it is clear proof that there is no security and, if there is, that they are not proactive enough.
“Those who burn the INEC offices are distracting from our democracy that wants to bring down the nation because burning the INEC offices will not fix the nation.”
To the voters, he said, “do not sell your votes, your votes speak for another four years. Selling your votes means they are worthless, money is not everything, buying and selling votes has put us in the condition we are in now.” , use your PVCs to vote for competent leaders who make real change.
“Let me also use this medium to call on the Bandits to change their way of life, drop their weapons and find a formidable team to engage the government in a dialogue about the way forward. They also live in fear, just as Nigerians also live in fear, so genuine dialogue is the way to go.
“Dialogue is the way forward for a peaceful Coexistence. The power of weapons is limited and that of reasoning is unlimited, may God heal our land and give us God fearing leaders in this election of the year 2023,” he prayed.
