The Archbishop, Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Michael Olusina Fape has called on Nigerians, especially Christians to intensify effort towards the collection of their permanent voter’s cards in other to make a difference in 2019.
Most Rev. Fape, who is also the Diocesan Bishop of Remo gave the charge at the 60th annual national convention of the Anglican Christian Fellowship (Nigeria) hosted by the Lagos West Diocese with the theme: Prepare unto Good Works.
Speaking on the theme of the convention, Most Rev. Fape said the Anglican Church, being one of the oldest in the country has been in the forefront of developing the minds of Nigeria through the various educational institutions, as well as advocating good governance for Nigeria.
He said it is high time Nigerians took their destinies into their own hands by making sure they participate fully in the electoral process of selecting who governs them.
“By participating fully, I meant Nigerians should go all out to get their PVCs. It is the only instrument recognized by the law that can be used to determine who govern them. Without any effort to get it, then they will be disenfranchised.”
He maintained that the era where people sit at home to grumble that wrong individuals had been fix in positions of authority without their consent being seek is over, adding that it was through the possession of the PVCs that citizens become eligible to participate in the political process.
In his own remark, the Diocesan Bishop of Lagos West, Rt. Rev James Olusola Odedeji, who represented Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh at the event, said Nigerians must be wise when electing those that will be saddled with the responsibility of directing the affairs of the country comes 2019.
“We cannot sit home fold our hands, failed to do the needful so that we can participate in the political process to vote our conscience, only to look for who to blame when the process to elect our leaders commenced,” he said.
National President of the Anglican Christian Fellowship (ACF), Bro. Henshaw A. Adetoye in his presidential address said the ACF has come a long way, adding that works on the publication of the history of ACF is nearing completion and will soon be released.
He said the desire of the leaders is to expand the ACF across the Dioceses in Church of Nigeria, but was being limited by paucity of funds and logistics reasons.
While soliciting for financial assistances from members, Mr. Adetoye said the Fellowship has been able to extend beyond the shores of Nigeria with the inauguration of a chapter in Maryland, USA.
He called on all Christians not to relent in their prayer for the country while also urging them to get their PVCs and vote for a godly leader at the next election.
According to him, any Christian who does not have a voter’s card cannot claim to love Nigeria, noting that the price that honest me pay for keeping quiet is to be ruled by dishonest men.
The convention was chaired by Arc Gbenga Babington, the executive Chairman of Gebit group of Companies.