Abuja, 30 May, 2022 / 9:31 pm (ACI Africa).
The Archbishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja has decried alleged political misconduct in the country’s ongoing party primaries ahead of the February 2023 elections, noting that some aspirants have bribed their way to victory.
In his Sunday, May 29 homily at Mater Dei Gwagwalada Parish of the Archdiocese of Abuja, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama said that the primaries, which commenced over the weekend, had left many people “flabbergasted and sad”.
“The party primaries held by some political parties have left many Nigerians flabbergasted and sad. Instead of demonstrating love for democracy and exercising their civic responsibility, money was said to be the major factor,” Archbishop Kaigama said.
He regretted the fact that leaders who are honest, God fearing and able to manage Nigeria and the country’s affairs with prudence had been disregarded in favor of those who could pay their way to top seats.
Among parties that conducted their preliminary elections on May 28 and 29 was Nigeria’s main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which settled on Atiku Abubakar as the country’s next president. Mr. Abubakar is a Fulani Nigerian politician and businessman who served as the Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007.