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By David Owei, Yenagoa
The Church in Bayelsa State has declared that whoever wants to become governor of the state should be ready to be screened to ascertain that he or she does not belong to secret cult, is a not drug addict or a drunkard, adding that once found free of these, the individual can count on the support of Christians in the state.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bayelsa State chapter, Archbishop Jacob Akpiri stated this while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the first Orange movement youth convocation held under the auspices of the Coalition for Development and Democracy in Bayelsa State (CDDB).
Archbishop Akpiri, who was the spiritual father of the day, stressed that as far as the forthcoming Bayelsa guber election is concerned, he will mobilize his members to fast and pray, and will also be involved in screening the candidates for a free, fair and credible elections, as well as support a youthful candidate as the youths also have what it takes to be in the saddle of leadership of the state.
“Anybody who wants to govern Bayelsa State must not be a cocaine smoker, drunkard but must be a genuine Christian with fear of God,” he said.
He said that during the last House of Assembly election in the state, when he learnt that a particular church gathered its member for a prayer and fasting program on the day of elections, he swiftly disrupted and mobilized the church to go out and perform their civic duties, more so when the candidate was a youth who aspired to be elected into Southern Ijaw Constituency 2 election.
He said the church must not only pray and fast, but should go a step further to enthrone good governance, adding that the youths need to be counseled against being used as thugs, armed with guns and dumped after elections to constitute kidnappers, armed robbers and terrorise the society.
He therefore commended the Coalition for Development and Democracy in Bayelsa (CDDB) for inviting over 500 youths from universities and youth bodies to attend and listen to lectures delivered by political and spiritual leaders on the importance of the youth contributions to good governance in the state.
