2023 election: Only Almighty Allah can decide fate of Nigeria – Sultan of Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto and Co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar has urged Nigerians to reject insinuations from every quarters that posit that the 2023 elections will decide the fate of the country.

The religious leader stated that only the Almighty God can determine the outcome of Nigeria’s next general election.

Speaking at the 2022 NIREC fourth quarter meeting, held in Abuja on Tuesday, the Sultan of Sokoto said Nigeria is facing some sort of challenges like every other countries of the world and these challenges are surmountable.

He however urged Nigerians to campaign peacefully and elect whoever they deem fit to rule the country for the next four years.

He said “Alot of people make comment about 2023 election as a make or break election for Nigeria and i don’t believe in that. It is going to be an election that people will go out, cast their votes in peace and then whoever emerges the winner, whoever Almighty Allah decided, will be the leader of this country.

“We must not play into the hands of those enemies of Nigerians who keep on parading or bringing such issues as if this is the election that will decide the fate of this country. Only Allah decide the fate of this country and any other country. So let us go out and campaign peacefully and whenever the election come up, we elect who we think is best for us and we leave the rest to Almighty Allah because those countries that keep on saying all these things have their own very serious problems.

“We know we have our own problem in Nigeria but we are much more better off than so many other countries. So let’s stop copying what Europeans do, what Americans do, what Asians do, let’s look at our own home grown issues that will make this country better.
If we make our systems work, we will be better off too,” he noted.

The theme of the meeting is; “Peaceful and Credible Elections for National Renaissance”

Also, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN and Co-chairman of NIREC, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, urged that the 2023 elections be devoid of violence, coercion, intimidation, manipulation, denial and death threats.

He stressed that strategic conversations that will appeal to the conscience of the political class is key to preventing election violence.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the 2023 general elections hold the key to our national renaissance, freedom from insecurity, economic subjugation and all other social vices that have dotted our ugly past.

“The imperatives of a peaceful and credible elections makes it mandatory for us as religious leaders to play active roles in this transition process. This is a time we must use our various platforms to place special emphasis on the messages of hope, peace, brotherliness, unity, integrity and tolerance.

“We must shun all tendencies that could aggravate whatever challenges we might be experiencing at the moment. We shall surmount them and our nation shall become great again”, he added.

Declaring the meeting open, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha stressed that the leadership of NIREC have a critical role to play in this forthcoming coming General Election because they are regarded as the spiritual head, influences of society and also custodians of theology and ethics which the followers look up for guidance stressing that they should be apolitical in any of their dealings.

The SGF further charged the leadership of NIREC to sue for peace among their followers by ensuring their sermons in all worship centres is tailored towards peace in pre, during and post election period.