By Magnus Effiong
The National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, and presiding Bishop of the Calabar-based Christian Central Chapel Int’l (CCCI), Bishop Emmah Isong, has advised contestants in the 2023 polls to prepare their mind ahead of the elections that they could loose.
Speaking in Calabar shortly after receiving a Peace Ambassador Award from the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), Bishop Isong said irrespective of what any politician is told by his friends or even spiritual leaders, he must be ready to concede victory if he loses.
“The 2023 general election is here, our generation will rather choose an election to a revolution, so, I urge all to go out and cast their votes properly and wisely for the right candidate.
“Let us start with the umpire, INEC. Don’t compromise our franchise. Don’t collect money from politicians. Whatever is the technicality of the law and the lacuna of the legal system, let our ballot boxes and voters card speak louder than any other voice, including even the voice of the presidency.
“Everyone contesting for election should get ready to lose and when you lose, carry what we called ‘Goodluck Jonathan’s anointing.’ Call the winner and congratulate him, don’t mobilize your thugs, we are not ready for any form of thuggery or any form of post-election violence. Please every contestant should get ready to congratulate the winner.
“If we allow emotion, sentiments and partisanship to swallow us, we will suffer for another eight years. So, INEC, please don’t compromise our franchise by allowing yourself to be compromised by dubious politicians who do not mean well for this nation,” he said.
He urged politicians to ensure the votes of the people are not taken to the Supreme Court or Appeal Court to be counted, and also appealed to security agencies to be aware that if Nigeria burns, they would be the first to suffer and would pay the price.
“I respect the judiciary but I will never accept a situation where during elections politicians go to sleep and after the election, they wake up and head to the Supreme Court and justice is miscarried,” he stated.
The Director of the Universal Peace Federation, Dr George Ikpott, while conducting the investiture, opined that Bishop Isong was chosen for the award based on his boldness toward fighting for peace in and outside the shores of Nigeria.
Ikpott explained that the ‘Ambassador for Peace’ Award is always given to people with proven track records of integrity, who live for others and believes and work for inter-religious unity among other qualities.
Dignataries at the event included Bishop John Okoriko, National Chairman of UPF, officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), PFN and others.
