Presidential Election: Vote According To Your Conscience, CAN Tells Nigerians

As Nigerians prepare to vote again today, Saturday, to define their destiny, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on Nigerians to vote according to their conscience in line with democratic principles and not through coercion.

The president of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor who made this call in his message to Nigerians on the general election, further advised Nigerians to vote and protect their votes, but that they should avoid acts of violence which could threaten a credible electoral exercise.
Oritsejafor also reiterated the need for citizens irrespective of their religious, ethnic and political affiliations to embrace peace and ensure the safety of one another before, during and after the elections, saying that the post-election violence of 2011 is still fresh in their memory and Nigerians cannot afford another one.

Oritsejafor said, “God instructed in the Holy Bible and Qur’an that we should be our brothers’ keepers. While rights of individuals should be respected, CAN believes that Nigerians must be given their rights to vote for whoever they want.

“Nigerians must eschew violence and assist the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure a transparent and credible exercise because democracy does not express itself through violence. If Nigeria must get it right again and replicate the experience of 2011 general elections, we must have confidence in each other.

“Christians and Muslims must resolve to protect each other. We must ensure that Christians are safe in Muslim areas and vice versa. Nobody must be victimised on the basis of religion or ethnicity. Everyone must be able to go out and vote for whoever they want; this commitment
is necessary.”

Oritsejafor further called on security agencies to ensure the protection of the lives and properties of Nigerians, saying that everyday defines who Nigerians are and the future of the country is not tied to a particular date.

“A lot of people have reasoned that the 2015 general election will define the unity and existence of Nigeria. But we say No! Elections will come and go, but Nigeria will remain. Those who believe that Nigeria will break will be disappointed because this is our country.
“We urge the citizenry to take their minds away from the thinking that Nigeria is going to break in 2015. May God strengthen our country though peace and unity! May God bless Nigeria.”
Leadership