Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Monday, grilled the presidential candidates of political parties that would participate in 2019 presidential election to ascertain the readiness for governance.

Vice Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi; Presidential candidates of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obadiah Mailafia; Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Fela Durotoye, were among several others that attended the meeting.

The face-to-face meeting, CAN said, was to assess the preparedness and the ability of the candidates to lead Nigeria in the midst of several economic and political challenges, and also speak to their conscience.

CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle Olasupo, told journalists at the end of the meeting held, in Abuja, that the CAN would no longer show less concern on the electoral process that would herald emergence of new political leaders.

“We cannot the mistakes of the past that worsened our socioeconomic and political problems.

READ ALSO:

“We won’t take for granted 2019 Nigeria. And it will depend on how free and fair of the forthcoming general elections.

“The entire Nigeria and its structures would suffer if the credibility of the election is threatened.

“We have said repeatedly that political leadership is beyond money making. We have to scrutinise their antecedent, their plans and also tell them our expectations if eventually they wins.”

He challenged the political elite to be matured in their approach to the election because it is not a do-or-die affair.

“However, if the 2019 election is going to be credible and globally accepted, then the security agencies, electoral umpire and other stakeholders must be matured and abide by the electoral guidelines.

“We have observed high desperation among the political class which ought not be so.

“People should not force themselves on people because of political office. Anyone that rely on politics for livelihood should have a rethink.

“Such person should get another job and stay off politics because it is not do-or-die.”