Christian Groups, Elders’ Forum Express Concerns over Nigeria’s Democracy

Mr. Solomon Asemota (SAN)led Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) and other Christian organisations had said that the national ideology bequeathed by the founding fathers of Nigeria at Independence was democracy and every effort should be made to ensure that the nation’s democracy is neither undermined nor abrogated, expressing concerns at emerging signals towards the 2019 elections.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a conference tagged: ‘Think Democracy’, at the Daughters of Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre (DRACC), Abuja, to evaluate developments in the country and the challenges confronting governance in Nigeria.

The conference was orgainsed by CSMN in collaboration with other groups like National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF); Legacy Initiative International; Advocates for Freedom and Democracy (AFD), a coalition of 58 Christian groups; Nigerian Christians in Diaspora; the Clergy Forum for Peace and Development in the Niger Delta, and Christian Ministers Universal Forum.

There were also participating observers at the conference, which included, South-south Study Group; PAN Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); United Middle Belt Indigenous Peoples Congress (UMBIPC) and Middle Belt Renaissance Forum.

The conference said it was persuaded that the war against terror can best be won with a ‘’God-fearing leader’’ voted into power in 2019, adding that electing a ‘‘religious fundamentalist’’ to lead is a national resistance against terror by extremists and will constitutes a cosmetic war against insurgency.

Conference noted the need for Nigeria to make God a significant factor in conducting the affairs of the country, and that Christians should get actively involved in politics to provide the necessary balance rather than stand at the sidelines to complain against the religious and social imbalances.

The conference also expressed concerns at emerging signals towards the 2019 elections, which it said indicated that the leading political parties in Nigeria are preparing to present candidates from the same regions, to the neglect of others so-long-marginalised from the political space, especially the endangered northern Christians.