The Catholic Bishops of the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, have raised concerns over the integrity of the upcoming elections in 2027.
Rising from a meeting the Bishop’s Residence, Ahiara, Mbaise Imo State the Bishops noted that the political temperature of the nation is heating up as the 2027 General Elections approach.
The Bishops in a statement jointly endorsed by the Chairman, Most Rev. Dr Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri and secretary, Most Rev. Dr Augustine Ndubueze Echema,
Bishop of Aba emphasized that the 2027 poll is profoundly threatened by the systematic erosion of political competition through induced defections to the ruling party, and the growing decimation or deregistration of opposing parties, raising fears that the country is being transformed into one-party state.
They also expressed concern over the denial of level play ground for opposition parties through skyrocketing of prices for billboards and advertisements in government owned media houses, denial of access to public spaces for campaigns etc., jeopardising a truly democratic culture.
“We, therefore, call on the Federal and State governments to adopt policies that uphold the rule of law and guarantee equal rights to the citizens. We charge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible, free and fair elections.
The bishops also observed with concern that: “The integrity of the judiciary needs to be maintained in the face of the critical nature of the forthcoming elections.
“We denounce the frivolity that has entered into the judiciary in the recent past, with reckless interventions and judgements that ridicule the Judiciary. We encourage our Bench and Bar to perform their civic duties with utmost honesty and impartiality.
They, however, assured that the church will continue to mobilise the faithful to shun apathy and exercise their franchise during the upcoming elections.
In the statement captioned: ‘Promoting Justice, Restoring Hope and Healing the Land in Times of Trial’, the Catholic Bishops further warned, “We ask our priests never to turn our churches into platforms for campaigns by preferred political office-seekers.
“As Bishops, we renew our commitment to the prophetic mission entrusted to the Church: to proclaim the Gospel without compromise, to defend the inviolable dignity of every human person, to promote justice and peace, and to walk with God’s people especially in times of suffering and uncertainty.
“In this Special Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi, we encourage all to imbibe the life of simplicity, holiness of life and detachment from materialism. May the celebration of the Special Jubilee Year of St. Francis be an auspicious occasion for the renewal of the Church, the promotion of peace in a conflict-ridden world and the rekindling of our commitment to protecting the earth, our common home.
Speaking further on the economy, the bishops said, “We view with deep pastoral concern the worsening economic hardship afflicting millions of Nigerians. Soaring food prices, persistent inflation, exorbitant transport costs, rising energy tariffs, and the collapse of purchasing power of the Naira, have placed intolerable burdens on families.
“Many parents struggle to send their children to school, small businesses are folding up, and a growing army of young people see little reason to hope. At the same time, we are distressed by the glaring contrast between the sacrifices demanded of ordinary citizens and the continuing display of opulent lifestyles, wasteful public expenditure, and excessive governance costs by many public office holders. Such dissonance erodes public trust and compounds the despair of the populace.
Addressing the issue of security, they noted: “We are grieved by the protracted scourge of kidnapping, armed robbery, violence and all forms of criminality that has continued to traumatise our communities.
“The pervasive climate of fear, the recurring disruptions of sit-at-home orders that paralyse economic activities, and attacks on innocent citizens have inflicted immense economic and psychological damage. Schools, markets, hospitals, and businesses are suffering severe setbacks, and the fabric of family life is being torn apart. This is compounded by massive unemployment which often leads many young people to migrate in search of greener pastures.
“Unfortunately, many of these migrants are trapped in criminal networks and transnational syndicates who manipulate them with false promises of lucrative jobs and seamless transit to Europe only to be cut up in a web of modern day slavery.
“As a Church, we cannot turn a blind eye to the myriad of abuses linked with trans-Saharan migration of young people to Europe. We need to continuously raise awareness among youths and families on the true dangers of migration, the scam of fake job promises and the existence of sophisticated human trafficking syndicates.
“We unequivocally condemn modern day slavery and human trafficking for forced labour and sexual exploitation. We insist that our youths are bearers of hope and not victims of despair.
They therefore called on Governments, educational institutions, and the private sector to urgently prioritise vocational training, entrepreneurship, technological innovation, digital skills acquisition, and access to affordable financing for young entrepreneurs.
Turning to youths, the Catholic Bishops urged them not to surrender to despair, but always reject cybercrime, drug abuse, cultism, human trafficking, ritual killings, and every dishonest means of livelihood.
“True greatness is built on honesty, discipline, hardwork, perseverance, and trust in God. Nigeria still needs your creativity, your intelligence, and your patriotic commitment,” they emphasized.
