Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged nigerians to participate in forthcoming general elections, citing that next year’s elections would give Nigerians valid chance to turn around the fortunes of the nation for good.

The CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, noted this while speaking at the ongoing Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, in Orlu, Imo State, he urged participating Bishops and other senior Catholic church officials to continue to support election monitoring team set up by CAN to do a good job in the 2023 general elections as they did in previous elections.

Also lamenting on the worrisome insecurity in the country, Okoh said, “hardly a day passes without reports of needless killings, thousands of civilians and even members of law enforcement agencies had been kidnapped, abused and murdered in cold blood. As I speak now, thousands of our fellow citizens have been held for several months and even years in one terrorist camp or another in the bush. Kidnapping for ransom has become a very lucrative criminal enterprise and it is an aberration.

“As I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, children were not allowed to see dead bodies, but now even the sensibilities of the children are no longer protected. All kinds of crime and wickedness are available almost for free on the social media.

“Nigeria now ranks high as one of the most terrorised nations of the world. This practice has progressively evolved over time and it has drastically reduced our national pride among the comity of nations.

“It is sad to note that those whose duty it is to guarantee the safety of our lives and property appear to be helpless in the face of real threat and advancing forces of darkness eclipsing the land.

“My consolation and confidence, however, is always the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ assured also that He will not allow the gates of hell to prevail against his church in Nigeria.

“Impunity, executive recklessness and political brigandage are tearing our nation apart.  As a result of long closure of our federal universities, our nation suffers another bout of brain drain that is unprecedented. Nigerian lecturers are being absorbed at a high rate by Ivy league universities in the western nations,” he added.

CAN president said the people should not lose hope stating that, “2023 general election is one valid chance that we have to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria for good.  I urge you my dear revered fathers in the Lord to continue to support election monitoring team set up by the Christian Association of Nigeria to do a good job.”