DON'T SELL YOUR VOTES, CAN PLEADS WITH ELECTORATE

Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned the electorate against selling their votes for peanuts that will mar the future of the nation and the future generation.

President of the association, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, gave the warning while briefing newsmen at the end of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the association, saying Nigerians now had golden opportunity to change leaders and elect those, who would positively turn around the future of the country.

Decrying the pre-election violence that had been on the increase in recent times, the CAN leader urged registered voters to go out on election days and vote for their candidates and ensure they monitored the process to prevent malpractices.

Oritsejafor further told Nigerians to distance not only themselves from any form of malpractices but also their family members, especially their children. 'Don't sell your votes and don't encourage anyone to do so,' he advised. He said the federal and state governments had promised to provide adequate security to all eligible voters on election days, calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the electoral process produced elected leaders based on the voting will and power of the Nigerian electorate.

He also advised political parties and their supporters to shun all forms of violence in the pursuit of their desired goals, saying politics should not be a do or die affair but an opportunity to render selfless service to the people and, therefore, the need to have an open mind that in victory or in defeat, the basic rule of fair play should guide their actions and utterances.

The CAN president called on all relevant security agencies to live up to their promise of securing lives and property of Nigerians during and after the elections. 'We shouldn't allow further bloodshed or wanton destruction of property as has been recorded in some states of the federation,' he added.

However, he urged all Christians to continue to pray for the success of the forthcoming general elections and for peace, unity and continued progress of Nigeria.