By STANLEY NWANOSIKE

Rev. Christian Onyia, the Bishop of Nike Anglican Diocese in Enugu State, has decried the direct involvement of traditional and religious leaders in politics during the just concluded general elections.

“It is despicable and condemnable,” he said while presenting the Bishop Charge at the 2nd Session of the 6th Synod of the Diocese held at the Church of the Beatitudes, Trans Ekulu, Enugu, on Saturday.

He said, “Some Church leaders turned the pulpit as a place to campaign for political parties and their preferred candidates.

“In some other places, traditional rulers who are known supporters of the ruling party, imposed midnight curfews to perform ‘Oro’ rights, slaughtered animals and strategically placed the sacrifices at voting centers to scare voters.”

Onyia urged the judiciary to save its image in dispensing justice in election petitions brought before it.

According to him, politicians by their actions have portrayed the judiciary as incapable of dispensing justice, as they engage in electoral infractions and tell aggrieved persons to “go to court”.

“I encourage the judiciary to rise up to the occasion and redeem its battered image by dispensing justice without fear or favour.

“This will not only boost the confidence of voters and Nigerians in our judiciary and electoral process, but also increase the turn out rate in next elections,” the Bishop said.

Onyia also advised INEC to embark on voter register audit, even as it prosecutes election offenders to serve as deterrent to others.

The Bishop said that this was important because the 2023 elections did not wholly meet the expectations of Nigerians.

He said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must also address issues of low voter turnout, violence, delay in delivery of election materials and transmission of results, among others, in subsequent elections.

“To all the candidates who lost the elections or were rigged out, kindly pursue your cases through the legal process.

“Do not encourage or participate in violence or any other illegal act,” he added.

According to him, Nigeria is destined for greatness, as such citizens should strive towards making the country great. (NAN)