2023: Nigerians Will Vote Individuals, Not Parties – CAN President, Archbishop Okoh

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, has said that Nigerians would not use the political party as a deciding factor in the choice of a candidate to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

Archbishop Okoh said this in Abuja on Sunday in his sermon at the 2022 men’s conference of Christ Holy Church International, themed, ‘By faith, give leadership’.

According to him, Nigerians have gone beyond voting based on the political party presenting candidates but look at the individuals too.

“It is important that people of God at this time should have their eyes open. Before casting your votes, make sure you know the people you are giving your votes to. In Nigeria, things are beginning to change. Gone are those days when people vote based on the political party fielding the candidate; when once you have the ticket of a particular party, you are covered.

“Today, people are looking at individuals, their credibility, character, experience, capacities and antecedents in relation to the positions they want to occupy,” Okoh said.

He also decried the menace of vote-buying in the country’s electoral system, saying people must begin to interrogate the plans and programmes of politicians before deciding who will get their mandate for the next four years.

“Nigerians have come to a point where they feel that they need to sit down and negotiate with the presidential and governorship candidates. We must ask them: ‘What is our portion in your administration (if elected)?’ They should be able to convince you before you can cast your votes for them. Nobody should take away your future from you. Don’t let anyone give you money to buy your conscience and four years of joy.

“To the people who are in politics, when you are making promises, make sure you are telling the people what you can fulfil. There is no need to promise us you can give us heaven on earth when you know that given the realities on the ground, you cannot be able to fulfil it,” he said.

He also warned about the use of youths for political thuggery, saying such development portended danger for the nation’s democracy.