The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Sunday Emma, has urged Christians to actively participate in elections, describing refusal to vote as a failure to fulfil both civic and biblical responsibilities.

Speaking with journalists in Lafia on Tuesday while reviewing recent elections, including the state’s recent bye-election, Emma said believers should not remain passive in the nation’s democratic process.

He noted that part of the Church’s responsibility is to continually educate citizens on their civic obligations, stressing that meaningful change cannot occur if people refuse to play their part.

According to the cleric, Christians are expected to obey lawful authority, and participating in elections is one of the practical ways of doing so. He maintained that staying away from the polls after elections have been scheduled amounts to a sin, adding that every eligible voter should exercise their franchise regardless of concerns about the electoral process.

Emma said citizens who vote have fulfilled their responsibility before God, even if others later manipulate the process, encouraging Nigerians not to become discouraged by claims that election outcomes are predetermined.

He also appealed to eligible Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, noting that there was still an opportunity for those yet to register before the exercise concludes.

The CAN chairman urged Nigerians to safeguard the integrity of their votes peacefully, arguing that widespread voter apathy only allows poor leadership to persist. He linked the country’s economic hardship, poor healthcare, inadequate education and slow development to bad governance, insisting that greater citizen participation is necessary to reverse the trend.

While expressing confidence that INEC would conduct elections fairly, Emma said he was concerned by the growing practice of electoral disputes being settled in court rather than through the votes cast at polling units.

He maintained that election winners should emerge from the ballot box and not from judicial pronouncements.

He also called on members of the judiciary to remain impartial in carrying out their constitutional responsibilities, reminding public officials that they would ultimately be accountable for their actions.

Commenting on his tenure, Emma disclosed that he had served for nearly five years as chairman of CAN in Nasarawa State and would soon step down in accordance with the association’s 2021 constitution, which prescribes a single five-year term of office.

Reflecting on his administration, he said fostering unity among Christians had been its central focus. He added that CAN’s mission extends beyond the Church to promoting peaceful coexistence and advocating for the interests of vulnerable Nigerians, irrespective of their religious background.

Emma also commended Abdullahi Sule for encouraging religious harmony and peaceful coexistence in the state, describing the relationship between the government and faith-based organisations as positive.

He further praised the long-standing collaboration between CAN and the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, saying regular dialogue between Christian and Muslim leaders has helped resolve disagreements peacefully and contributed to the stable atmosphere currently enjoyed in Nasarawa State.

(Photo Credit: ICIR Nigeria)