Anglican Bishop Decries Money Politics, Imposition Of Candidates

Bishop of the Diocese of Kaduna (Anglican Communion), Rev. Dr. Timothy Yahaya, has said money politics and imposition of candidates on Nigerians by political parties ahead of the 2023 general elections is undemocratic and should be discouraged.

This is just as he called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure conduct of transparent, free, fair and credible elections.
Bishop Yahaya also appealed to other key actors in electoral process not to impose candidates on the people as winning votes belong to the majority.

In his message to the nation during the 2nd session of the 22nd Synod of the Anglican Communion which was held on Sunday at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Ungwa Romi in Chikun local government area, Yahaya expressed the hope that the socio-economic woes befalling the nation would be over.

“Today we see naira and dollars rains because election is at the corner. Is it democracy for sale? The money of the people pulled from the people, used to buy positions in our country. You mean the entire intelligent agencies in this country cannot trace where these monies are gotten from, and people arrested and brought to book? Are we just going to fold our arms and let it go this way?

“There is only one seat in Aso Rock. We call on INEC to follow every word of the Electoral Act, to be seen to be independent, to be free and fair to conduct a credible election where everybody will be happy.

“I call on the political parties to stop imposing the candidates. In democracy it is the majority that have the votes. But from our own position, some cabals decide who become our leaders. They collect naira, they collect dollars to appoint people who cannot lead anywhere. Nigerians are getting wiser and I call on Nigerians to get their PVC but don’t vote religion, don’t vote tribe. Don’t vote mediocrity. Whoever you are going to vote, ask yourself what has he done for Nigeria. And find out his antecedents before voting for him.

On the abducted passengers on Abuja-Kaduna bound train, Bishop Yahaya said, “I want to plead with the federal government to ensure the freedom of the abductees two months after they were abducted. I have never heard a brief from the corridors of power about what is happening to our children in captivity. Does it mean that life does not matter again in Nigeria? Today, the most popular thing is kidnapping, Kidnapping and kidnapping.
No wonder some persons are saying Nigeria is a failed State.”