The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, CBCN, has spoken out against increased insecurity, electronic results transmission, and calls for Nigeria’s disintegration.
In a statement published at the end of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) Second Plenary Meeting in Enugu, the Catholic bishops urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to include all ethnic groups in decision-making and policies to prevent the country’s disintegration.
The clergy urged Nigerians and the government to follow the path of unity and dialogue to keep the country united and avoid collapse.
The CBCN also requested that the government ensure a just and fair trial for those imprisoned as crucial participants in the effort to prevent further instability and calls for the break-up of the country.
The statement reads in part: “We urge both Government and citizens to work for a nation in which everyone and every part, irrespective of differences of tribe or religion or political affiliation, will have a sense of belonging. We reiterate that the struggle for the ‘soul’ of Nigeria, which is presently ongoing, will not be won by ethnic cleansing, nepotism, kidnapping, and banditry but by love, fairness, and equity, common good, and patriotism.”
“We, therefore, enjoin the government and all Nigerians to toe the path of justice and conciliatory dialogue and see themselves as agents of peace and development to ensure a harmonious and united nation.
“We are grateful to God that we still exist as one nation. This is despite sundry agitations and struggles for self-determination. We observe that the agitations and tensions are mainly a result of bad governance, injustice, inequity, and unfairness in appointments and distribution of resources to parts of the country. We recognize the rights of peoples to self-determination, yet we emphasize that the exercise of such rights must be within the confines of the rule of law.
“We as a church are keenly interested in the political situation of our country. Although the Church does not support any political party, she supports every government that prioritizes the welfare of the citizens.”
Government policies that do not support the development and the general welfare were likewise denounced by the Church.
They demanded a fair and credible election in 2023, as well as a reversal of the National Assembly’s decision to prohibit electronic transmission of results, claiming that this would allow for vote manipulation.
“We insist that there is an urgent need for a fair and credible electoral process, through which our political leaders emerge. We, therefore, state loud and clear that the recent voting by the National Assembly against electronic transmission of results of elections will create an opening for further manipulation of electoral votes and lay the foundation for more conflicts in future elections.
The statement went on to say, “We call on the National Assembly to reconsider its position in the light of world best practices.”
