Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
THE Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has urged clerics to be in the vanguard of preaching against electoral violence in the country as the 2023 general election gather momentum.
Governor Diri made the call on Sunday while speaking at a Special Thanksgiving Service organized by the Member representing Ogbia Constituency 2 at the State House of Assembly, Honourable Gibson Munalatefa over the birth of his new baby.
The Governor, who spoke through his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, at the Mountain of the Lord Deliverance Ministry, Opolo in Yenagoa, urged the clerics to play a role in the political education of the citizenry through their preachings.
According to the Bayelsa Chief Executive, God represents love and that no meaningful religion preaches hatred, violence and killing.
He, therefore, reiterated the need for people of the state to embrace love and peace in all their endeavours, stressing that the time for elections only offers them the opportunity to exercise their civic rights and not to perpetrate violence.
Governor Diri, who expressed gratitude to God for wiping away the tears of the Munalayefa Family with the gift of a son, enjoined everyone to continually trust in the awesome power of God even in the midst challenges that seem intractable.
His words: “The impression is that election in Bayelsa us always violent. But we are not a violent people. But the few that are violent among us, who believe that the only way win an election is through violence must be encouraged to reject such belief.
“What pains me most is that they also come to church. And I wonder the kind of church they attend because there is no true church that preaches violence.
“Another thing that burdens me is that our love for one another in this state is very shallow like the Epie Creek. Love is not jealous, deceitful, hateful, malicious and greedy.
“And so, let us show the love we preach. If you believe in God and you don’t love, then you don’t believe in God because God is love.
“We will continue to send this message across because this is the right time to talk about it. What people don’t talk about is oftentimes seen as a good thing. So, everybody including the men of God should preach this ‘One man, One vote’ as a message.”
In their separate remarks, Hon. Gibson Munalayefa and his wife, Timi, testified to the merciful kindness of God upon their lives and family by swiftly answering their prayers exactly one year after they lost their child.
They also thanked the Senior Pastor of Mountain of the Lord Deliverance Ministry, Opolo, Pastor Emmanuel Suobite, for his guidance, encouragement and prayers all through their trying moments.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, had earlier led a high-powered delegation of the state government to attend the marriage between Mr Odimiekumo Etete and former Miss Mieseiyefa Diri, the younger sister of Governor Douye Diri.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, noted that Senator Ewhrudjakpo read the only Bible lesson drawn from Second Kings Chapter 4 Verses 8 to 17 during the holy matrimony at the King of Glory Chapel, Government House, Yenagoa.
In his sermon, the Chaplain, King of Glory Chapel, Pastor David Yallah, enjoined the newly-wed and the entire congregation to be sensitive to the things of God and not to hesitate in ministering to the needs of God’s servants.
The Bayelsa First Lady, Dr Gloria Diri, Father of the Governor, Pa Abraham Diri, Members of the State Assembly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Family, Commissioners, Special Advisers and other top government officials attended both ceremonies.
