The Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade, has called on Nigerians to reject candidates who according to him are “known criminals” that have been implicated by national and international agencies at the polls.

He made the call in his sermon at the 25th anniversary of the Canonical Erection of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The clergyman said there is need to save Nigeria from the trauma of having to deal with the emotional outcome of electing leaders who continue to ravage the country’s commonwealth for their personal gain.

Arogundade urged Nigerians to vote for decent and credible leaders and save the country from imminent collapse.

He lamented that Nigeria has been kept under the control of “corrupt aristocrats who steal our commonwealth to gain power and to control the masses”.

Arogundade said, it was regrettable that, the impact of one hundred years of Christianity on our society had been eroded by bad governance; ethic and tribal war and a new wave of paganism.

“Are we not the same Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa and indeed Nigerians that are calling on God for intervention and redemption from corrupt politicians that will also vote for known criminals that have been implicated by national and international watchdog bodies?

“All of us Christians and none Christians alike are searching for decent and credible leaders who will reorganise our country to be the best that God has created it to be.

“Then vote for one and save the Church from trauma of having to deal with the emotional outcome of leaders who continue to ravage our commonwealth for personal gain.

“Our people must begin to lookup to the finest and the most patriotic among us for leadership to run the country and to provide the leadership that will correct the mistakes of the past decades.

“We must not stand by and watch this great nation destroy itself under mediocre leadership that drift from one crisis to the next, eroding our national will and purpose," he stated.

In his remarks, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Most Rev. Peter Olukayode Odetoyinbo, charged Nigerians to shun any act of violence and reject the temptation of selling their votes.

He expressed the optimism that Nigeria will come out better after the election, saying “We pray that Nigeria will be better, we pray that all of us electing the right person to the right position, Nigeria will be better.

“We should go and perform our civic duties and vote rightly according to our consciences for good leaders who will lead Nigeria better and give us what we desire according to the mind and the will of God,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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