Bishop Ogun at Uhiele, tasks Nigerians to elect credible leaders in 2023 – The Sun Nigeria – Daily Sun

By Beifoh Osewele

As electioneering towards the 2023 general polls gathers momentum, Nigerians have been admonished to vote for competent and credible candidates that can rescue the country from its current quagmire.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Uromi, Donatus Ogun, who spoke at the Catholic Church of the Nativity of Mary, Uhiele, Ekpoma, yesterday, advised electorate to shun tribal and religious sentiment as well as resist vote buying and other forms of inducement when they cast their ballot.
Represented by the Vicar General, Very Rev, Fr. Francis Omonlumen, at a thanksgiving Mass organised by Rt. Hon. Charles Osezua and his wife, Lady Gloria, Bishop Ogun tasked the people to be wary of desperate politicians who would stop at nothing to compromise or undermine their right and power to elect credible leaders.
Though he did not say which political party or candidate they should vote for, he cautioned that ethnic, tribal or religious sentiment should not be a basis when they exercise their democratic franchise in the general elections which begins with the presidential and National Assembly poll in February.
The Bishop said: “Vote those you’re sure have your interests at heart, elect people that can rescue you from bad governance, banditry, resolve ASUU strike, give you good roads and other infrastructure.
“Bear in mind that if they offer you a cup of rice to get your vote and you accept, it would not feed you for four year. Neither can a wrapper serve you for four years. Is it the N5,000 they gave you nearly four years ago that you’re still spending now?”
He added: “You must not forget that when you collect money, wrappers or a cup of rice to vote, they’ll first recoup that when they get into office. In fact, you cannot complain if they failed to perform because they bought their way to office. I would have said take their money but vote your conscience, but that would be tantamount to stealing. So, my advise is that you should resist any form of inducement. Vote wisely and elect people who can improve your lives and not those who’ll make like more difficult and frustrating for you. You have the chance and power to do the right thing now. You must ensure you do that which is right.”
He applauded the Osezuas for lifting the Uhiele community with a multimillion naira community and development centre.
While the cleric appealed to other sons and daughters not to turn their backs on their communities but rather emulate the several philanthropic gesture of the Osezuas, he challenged the elders not to relent in praying for their children both at home and abroad.
He later consecrated the project situated in Ukpoke.
The town hall, the latest in the several developmental projects by Sir Charles and his family consists of a multi-purpose hall, an office, and a store on the ground floor and two offices, and a boardroom on the first floor. It is intended that an office be assigned to Uhiele Development Forum (UDF) and Ukpoke Area Development Foundation (UADF), each on the first floor, with a boardroom, on a need basis, for meetings. The office room on the ground floor is to serve as office for the asset manager and/or security or event organisers/manager.
The centre would be formally handed over for the use of the entire eight quarters of Uhiele after the commissioning ceremony to be performed by Governor Godwin Obaseki by 12 noon today.