Bishop of Sapele Diocese of the Nigerian Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Blessing Erifeta has urged Christians to let Christ lead them in their choice of candidate during the forth coming general elections.
The clergy who was fielding questions from journalists yesterday, during a press conference at St. Luke Anglican Church, Osubi, Delta State, which was part of the activities to mark the 10th year anniversary of Sapele Diocese, also said that politicians have left the era of using thugs to rig elections, to executive rigging by the who is who in politics in collaboration with the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to Erifeta, “after organizing the Senatorial debate for Delta Central Senatorial Candidates in 2011, I suffered lots of prosecution because a lot of meaning were read to it. Some persons felt their interest were not being carried along, to the extent that one of them wanted me assassinated. The matter got to the AIG’s office in Zone 5 Benin before it was resolved. I was not contesting election and I do not have any intention to, it was just a forum put together to ensure that Christians in politics properly represent the church and that’s all.
“We must carry Jesus to the polling units, we must carry Jesus to INEC otherwise if we try to do it on our own, we will fail. What they call free and fair election is not election. They no longer use thugs to rig elections what they do now is executive rigging.
While thanking God for the achievements of the Diocese in the past ten years, he disclosed that the Diocese increased its number of clergies from 27 when it was established in 2009 to 98, adding that the number of Archdeaconry has increased from four to about 11.
He noted that contrary to what many people would want to see or count as achievements, spiritual growth and development supersedes all other forms of growth whether structural or otherwise and which was his focus as the Bishop of the Diocese.
He stressed the need for clergies to continue to promote peace and love in the Diocese to enable her to move forward and develop, just as he noted that he has forgiven those involved in some of the litigations that set the Diocese backward towards meeting up its set target for the past ten years.
