Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Most Rev. Felix Femi Ajakaye has frowned against some governorship aspirants Anambra State who have started campaigning before the legally approved time.
Governorship election has been slated for July 17, this year.
Ajakaiye, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to call such aspirants to order.
The bishop, in his 2018 New Year message, made available in Ado Ekiti on Saturday chided those jumping the gun to commence campaigns, adding that going by the Electoral Law, it is not yet the time for campaigns.
“But realistically, most of the aspirants started their campaigns in 2017, “he added.
The cleric, who termed 2018 as “Year of Encouragement” charged Nigerians not to continue to despair in the failures of the past but that we should “retrace our steps and think, plan and act positively and meaningfully.
“In 2018, we are to learn from our different experiences in 2017. This is not the period for complaining perpetually. As hopeful people, we must keep encouraging ourselves.”
While noting that there are lots of people who have continued to express their interest in the governorship race, Ajakaye said their campaigns were “noticeable in their promotions on both radio and television. Posters and billboards are strategically placed in different parts of the state, especially in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.”
He charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act promptly and call those breaching the electoral law to order saying “there is need for sanity. The people who are violating the law should be prosecuted as a lesson for others.”
On the coming elections in the state, the cleric said he had also observed that politicians had been wooing the citizenry of the state with what they referred to as “empowerment”, saying “some of these so-called ‘messiahs’ even set up foundations” to woo the unsuspecting masses.
He said: “I have also observed that it is when elections are approaching that different people will emerge as aspirants and many of them will introduce programmes and activities which they claim as empowering the unsuspecting masses.
“All in the name of helping other people! These people are one-off people with one-off programmes. Such people tend to exploit other people and use them as ladders to get what they want and remove the ladders once they satisfy their desire, forgetting nothing lasts forever and no condition is permanent. This is food for thought for the people of Ekiti State.”
He noted that “Nigeria needs true leaders who will be sincere and purposeful witnesses in their words and actions. Leaders who will not be engaging in destructive vendetta, leaders who will not be interested mainly in awarding themselves, families, cronies and hangers-on contracts, giving themselves undeserved national honours and promotions, leaders who do not care about the unity and survival of Nigeria”.