Consider Calls For Postponement Of 2023 Census, Synod Tells Federal Govt  

The synod of the All Nations Evangelism Ministries has appealed to the federal government to heed to the calls for the postponement of the 2023 National Population Census and address the security challenges facing the country to enable Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) return to their ancestral homes.

The position of the synod was made public by the chairman of the 2023 synod of the church, Bishop Yimam Orkwar, at Faith Cathedral, Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

In a communique to mark the end of the first quarter synod convened on the third day of the international communion of world missions conference.

Orkwar lamented that “even though it is necessary for a national head count for the nation, the present circumstances such as insecurity and other issues constitute good ground for the federal government to heed to the call for suspension of the head count until such issues which would militate against a smooth conduct of the exercise are properly addressed”.

A few weeks ago, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom asked the federal government to suspend the conduct of the national population census until all the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), are returned to their ancestral homes if there is no hidden agenda.

In another development, the synod frowned at the just concluded elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which they said did not use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) to collate results from polling units and transmit same as assured, they said created room for manipulation of results contrary to the assurances the electoral umpire gave Nigerians before the conduct of the elections.

The synod also pointed out that the just concluded elections especially the presidential election sparked off series of controversies, across the country because many people felt disenfranchised among other contending issues that must be addressed

They however called on all Nigerians particularly those who contested elections and their teeming supporters to exercise patience while they await the decisions of the Election Petition Tribunals and to resist all forms of violent behaviour and utterances that are capable of causing instability and disaffection.

While advising winners of the 2023 general elections to accommodate all interests and avoid the temptation of winner takes all, Synod expressed gratitude to God for the 2023 general elections and encourages the winners of the election at all levels to accommodate all interests; to resist the “winner takes all approach” and “pursue good governance and development”