Onaiyekan Cautions Politicians over Manipulation of Results, Says Nigerians Won’t Accept Rigged Election

A former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, His Grace John Cardinal Onaiyekan, on Saturday warned politicians against any form of electoral malpractices, saying Nigerians would not accept rigged elections.

 

He cautioned that politicians scheming to manipulate the results of the election should think twice as the repercussions would be disastrous.

 

According to him, the warning became necessary because of the current mood of the country as anything could happen at the slightest provocation.

 

 Onaiyekan, a former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, gave the warning during the celebration of his 40th anniversary as Bishop, at the Holy Trinity Church, Maitama in Abuja. The event was attended by friends and clerics from within and outside Nigeria.

 

He said, “With the current yearnings of the people for a better country, the election will no longer be business as usual. As regards the results of the elections, politicians should desist from any form of manipulation in their favour, if not voted for.

 

“All those who are planning to play games and scheme to rig in order to frustrate the desire of the decision of the people as regards the results of the elections should desist from such.

 

“All of them, whether they are in government or not, should desist from rigging or causing violence; they should not do it; they should allow this election to run in a free and fair way.

 

 “For the sake of peace, there will be serious repercussions if anybody doesn’t allow  free and fair elections. It won’t be business as usual, anymore.

 

“I want Nigerians to know that they can no longer keep quiet all the time, hoping that things will change; that God will work miracles.”

 

While insisting that he had no special candidate, Onaiyekan said the advice was for the politicians to understand that “the mood in which Nigeria now is not a mood that they will quietly accept a rigged election.”

 

The archbishop advised politicians to fear God, saying they would answer to their actions before Him. “Even if no one asks questions, God will ask questions and He has His way of asking questions,” he added.