We urge all candidates for Anambra Election to focus on issue-based campaigns that promote development and the welfare of the people- Bishop Israel Okoye( Bishop of Ihiala diocese, Anglican communion)
Ahead of the November 8, 2025, governorship election in Anambra State, the Bishop of Ihiala Diocese, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. (Prof.) Israel Okoye, has reminded the electorate that the date represents “the choice of the tomorrow they yearn for.”
Delivering his address at the 3rd Session of the 5th Synod of the Diocese, held at St. Stephen’s Church, Ihiala, Bishop Okoye urged voters to approach the forthcoming election with sincerity and a sense of responsibility.
While acknowledging that preparations for the poll were ongoing, the cleric expressed concern over what he described as the growing trend of “rented crowds” and vote-buying during election campaigns.
According to him, elections should provide opportunities for meaningful interaction between candidates and the electorate, enabling citizens to assess manifestos and make informed choices based on competence and integrity.
He said, “Desperate politicians exploit the widespread unemployment and hunger in the land to turn vulnerable members of the electorate into political objects that are purchased, deployed for a defined purpose, and discarded after elections.
“That practice, disguised as normal politics, dehumanizes citizens. People who sell their votes for a token amount lose their power to demand accountability. We urge all candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns that promote development and the welfare of the people.”
Bishop Okoye further warned that those who trade their votes or compromise their offices for personal gain risk undermining the future of the state.
On the issue of political defections, the Bishop expressed concern over the frequent movement of politicians from one party to another, describing it as a breach of trust between elected leaders and the electorate.
He noted that elected officials often transfer mandates given to them by the people under a particular party platform to another party without the consent of those who voted for them.
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