From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The Bishop on the Niger, the Rt Rev. Dr Owen Nwokolo has cautioned politicians and their supporters against any form of bullying and political rascality ahead of the 2023 general election.
He advised politicians to play the game of politics according to its rules rather than unnecessarily attacking one another, adding that Nigerians looked onto them to show some level of maturity expected of people aspiring to be leaders.
Speaking with journalists during a weekly briefing at the Bishopscourt, GRA, Onitsha, Bishop Nwokolo appealed to politicians to, instead, focus on issue-based campaigns than taking delight in what he described as campaign of callumny and character assassination.
He said that Nigerians wanted to hear from the politicians what they had as the philosophy of their parties and their manifestoes other than unwarranted bullying of one another.
“The way some of them are going about it is unacceptable. Every game, after all, has a rule, and politics is a game, it must, therefore, be played according to its rules, ” the Bshop insisted. He added that anything short of that was a misnomer.
He enjoined Nigerians, especially party supporters, to guard against anything that could disrupt the conduct of the February, 2023 polls, pleading with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election by letting the people’s votes count at the polls.
He advised every Nigerian to maintain watertight political decorum during and after the general elections.
“We know we have people in our system who seem uncontrollable, who behave as if they are above the law. But it ought not to be so.
“Comportment and decorum is the duty of everyone; it is the duty of politicians and the voters and everybody to cooperate, and the security agencies are to ensure that the game is played according to the rules.
“Everyone will play a part. You are not going to leave it to the politicians, neither will you leave it to the government, nor to the INEC alone. You, as an individual or a group has the duty to report when things are going wrong so that it will be corrected.
“That is what will help our system. Once every one of us is taking positive step and positive stand on things that partain to our country, our patriotism will be on the high side, and patriotism is what drives a successful nation, ” the Bishop concluded.
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