The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) General Church council has advised President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government to postpone the entire exercise till the incoming administration settles down.
The Church in a communique signed and issued by the ECWA President Rev. Dr Stephen Baba Panya and General Secretary Rev. (Dr.) Yunusa Sabo Nmadu Jr. at the end of the 70th General Church Council GCC held in Jos from 17th to 21st April 2023 called for the postponement of the scheduled May 2023 census, saying also given the fact of the scheduled handing over of government in the same May 2023, the Council advised the Federal Government to postpone the entire exercise till the incoming administration settles down.
“The Council affirmed that national CENSUS Is a good thing, although it is long overdue. It called on the government to ensure that the Commission adequately mobilizes all genuine citizens for the census.
“The Council also charged the National Population Commission to be honest, just and equitable and justify the conduct of the exercise: lieu of the overall call from many quarters of Nigeria for the postponement of the scheduled May 2023 census, also given the fact of the scheduled handing over of government in the same May 2023, the Council advised the Federal Government to postpone the entire exercise till the incoming administration settles down.”
The Church General Council also admonished the incoming administrations at all levels of government to learn from the flaws of the past administrations, to ensure equity and fairness in the appointments that will reveal the true federal character.
Additionally that the incoming administration should listen to the yearnings of the masses and ensure the practice of actual democracy that is founded based on the rule of law.
They further called upon the government to ensure the protection of lives and property to avoid the escalation of brewing violence.
The Church again called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to rise to her constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property and dealing ruthlessly with those responsible for these wicked acts and providing good governance characterized by transparency, integrity and accountability by constituting an atmosphere for employment of teaming youths of Nigeria to stem hunger, unemployment, illiteracy, corruption and religious extremism.
While making their position they’re on the 2023 General Elections, the Council expressed displeasure over the unprofessional conduct of some of the electoral umpires and security agents that, to a very large extent, marred the overall outcome of the just concluded 2023 national and state general elections.
“The General Church Council called on the judiciary to do justice to all matters that may be brought before the courts as justice should be seen and be manifestly seen to be done since the courts are the last hope of the common man. Politicians, political party leaders, their representatives and supporters were called upon to sheathe their swords and refrain from making inflammatory statements to allow the judiciary to carry out its constitutional responsibilities in this case to avoid overheating the polity.
“The Council appreciated the Nigeria Currency Swap Policy as a good initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria. However, it expressed displeasure at the unbearable hardship the policy brought to the Nigerian masses. This was compounded by fuel scarcity and hyper-inflation.
The Council called on the government to reconsider the processes of implementation of the policy anq provide all alternatives to cushioning the negative effects of the policy before the 31st December 2023 deadline and ensure, among other things, the the the the that the banks are fully and seamlessly prepared for tha smooth implementation”.
