Edo Decides: CAN Urges Peaceful Election, Warns Against Do-Or-Die Politics, Prays for God-fearing Leader

Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on Thursday in Benin City, held a prayer intercession for a peaceful exercise, charging the electorate to vote for a credible and God-fearing candidate.

In his welcome address, the state chairman of CAN, Apostle Irekpono Omoike, said the prayer session became imperative particularly against the backdrop of several threats emanating from the political campaigns.

Irekpono, of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, (OAIC) said Edo had been known to be peaceful and that the session was to intercede so that a credible candidate with the fear of God, who would love the people, respect constituted authorities, especially traditional institutions, would emerge.

According to him, the prayer was to have a governor who would uphold the tenet of integrity which he noted, had remained the benchmark of sustainable governance in the state right from the Midwest and Bendel eras.

Quoting Matthew 5:9 and 2 Chronicle 7:14, the cleric, however urged the people to embrace peace before, during and after the election, warning that elections should not be seen as do-or-die.

The prayer session, which featured prominently all the Christian denominations in Benin, was also targeted to bring peace and wade off untimely deaths, attacks, and other forms of devilish intentions in the state.

CAN members from the18 local government areas in the state, including Pastor Itua Ighodalo, the younger brother to PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, the Secretary, Edo State Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board, Aigboje Irabor, were in attendance.

High point of the prayer session was a music interlude featuring singing and dancing of victory as well as word exhortation by the General Overseer of the Christ Apostolic Church of God Mission International, Apostle Matthew Ogbonmwan.