The Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) and Chaplain of St Gabriel Catholic Chaplaincy, Durumi, Abuja, Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, has called on Nigerians to reject ethnic considerations when choosing leaders in the 2027 general elections.
Banjo made the appeal on Sunday during a Holy Mass held as part of activities marking the patronal feast of St Gabriel the Archangel at the chaplaincy.
The celebration will reach its climax on September 29, the liturgical feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
Speaking about the celebration’s importance to Nigerian national life, Banjo stated that the cultural diversity on display during the Mass should serve as a reminder that linguistic and ethnic differences shouldn’t cause division.
“We gather around one altar and receive the same Eucharist today, but we wear different cultural attire and speak different languages,” he remarked.
He warned against ethnic favouritism, cliques and the practice of supporting people simply because they belong to the same ethnic group.
According to him, Nigerians undermine the spirit of national unity when they place tribal identity above competence or defend wrongdoing because the person involved is from their community.
“Our many tribes and tongues should add colour to the Nigerian family, not become walls that divide us,” he said.
Banjo also connected his message to the Gospel reading from Matthew 21:28-32, which recounts the story of a father who sent his two sons to work in his vineyard.
According to him, Christians are expected to make positive contributions to society outside of the Church as part of their duty to serve God.
“Using our votes responsibly is one way we can do this,” he stated.
Prior to the 2027 general elections, the CSN scribe advised voters to evaluate candidates not on their ethnicity but on their character, integrity, competence, and service record.
He advised voters to examine what candidates had achieved, whether they could be trusted with public resources, their understanding of the challenges facing ordinary Nigerians and the credibility of their plans to address hardship and improve living conditions.
“Before you vote, ask: What has this person done? Can this person be trusted with public resources? Does this person understand what ordinary Nigerians are going through? Does this person have credible ideas for reducing hardship and improving people’s lives?” he said.
Banjo also cautioned against letting voters’ decisions be influenced by their ethnic allegiance.
Avoid letting the tribe respond to your questions. Hunger is unaware of your tribe. Unemployment doesn’t speak your language. “Insecurity doesn’t ask where you’re from,” he remarked.
As part of the Christian response to God’s call, he explained responsible citizenship, pointing out that Christians are expected to actively engage in society and help solve its problems.
According to him, the Christian commitment to God should be reflected not only in worship but also in responsible civic participation, including the choices citizens make during elections.
We can say “yes” to God in this way, he said.
