Christian Association of Nigeria to organise three-day nationwide prayer session over forthcoming elections

LEADERS of the Christian Association of Nigeria (Can) have declared three days of national prayers between November 16 and 18 during which they will ask for divine intervention ahead of next year's general elections.

In February 2019, Nigerians will go to the polls to elect a president, members of the national assembly, 30 of the country's 36 governors and members of state houses of assembly. Already, the political temperature is rising as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) square up to each other.

Both parties have already held their primaries and they have proven to be very rancorous and divisive, with court cases expected in a few cases. With the election itself likely to be tight, there are expectations that matters may become very tense and Can has subsequently asked for prayers in the hope that they will soothe the tension a bit.

During the three days, Can will hold a non-stop praise session over the elections and other problems facing the country. According to Can, the 72 hours praise and worship is to be organised in all churches nationwide over the three days between 7am on the 18th and 6pm on the 20th.

In addition, the programme is to celebrate the envisaged victory Nigeria is going to experience over economic, security, social, religious and political problems the country is facing as a nation. Can acting general secretary general Joseph Daramola, has asked all bloc leaders and their secretaries, all zonal chairmen, all state chairmen and all denominational leaders to organise their church members during the period.

Can spokesman Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, said: “Having noted various challenges the country is going through, the Can leadership considered the need for us to organise three days of non-stop praise over them in the country, as was done in the bible in 2 Chronicles Chapter 20, especially the forthcoming 2019 elections with a view to stopping a crisis-ridden election that will not be free, fair and credible. The praise is also about the victory we believe God has given the church in Nigeria over all powers of darkness that want to engulf the church in whatever guise.

"We should praise God that bloodshed will be no more in Nigeria. A bad leader will not be elected as our president in 2019, all human efforts to manipulate elections will fail and Leah Sharibu and all those in captivity will be released."

He added that all churches in the country are urged to participate in the programme to usher Nigeria into a new era of peace, unity, safety and all round prosperity. Can has been particularly worried about the growing menace of Fulani cattle herdsmen lately, who have regularly attached Christian communities and churches in Nigeria's Middle Belt.