2019: Nigeria yet to have a credible presidential candidate – Archbishop Onaiyekan

Archbishop John Onaiyekan has declared that there is no credible presidential candidate for Nigerians ahead of 2019 elections

He said it would not be in the interest of the church to support one political party against the other

Onaiyekan also noted that the new political parties that would have joined forces to produce a credible alternative presidential candidate failed to do so due to selfishness

John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, has said Nigerians are in a difficult situation over the choice of presidential candidates for the forthcoming 2019 elections.

He spoke in Abuja on the topic: “The church in politics: Towards the election year 2019” at an event organized by Catholic Action Nigeria.

It was gathered that Onaiyekan said it would not be in the interest of the church to support one political party against the other; but to identify and stand behind those who can offer good governance for the people.

He said the new political parties that would have joined forces to produce a credible alternative presidential candidate failed to do so due to selfishness and ego.

“We see this clearly in our country Nigeria. We hear politicians often speaking about serving the nation. It has now become a huge joke.

“Even the simplest village man knows that the people in authority are not serving us. This is the major cause of our problems. Rulers become dictators instead of servants of God and for the people.

“The prevalent idea that politics is a rotten game for only dishonest people is a tragic error, no matter how prevalent it may be in our society. We know that it is extremely difficult to go against this trend in our public life.

“The fear in fact is that the nation has been captured by corrupt people who have acquired massive power through the wealth they have stolen from us. They thus monopolize all channels of decision making,” he said.

Onaiyekan said that the country is in a great dilemma as ahead of the 2019 general elections, as it appears that the people are faced with “horrible tragedy of a choice between two well-known undesirable candidates.”

“It is a pity that whereas there are over 90 political parties, there seems to be no viable alternative to the two mega parties that have failed us. Where is the alternative? It is a pity that they cannot come together to form a viable alternative.”