Why 2023 Elections May Not Hold – CAN President

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samson Ayokunle, has disclosed that the 2023 general election might not hold if the current insecurity in the country continues.

Ayokunle made this known during a security dialogue retreat jointly organised by the Global Peace Foundation and Vision Africa in Abuja on Monday.

The CAN president expressed fear that bandits and terrorists will overrun the country before the forthcoming elections if their activities are not checked.

He, however, asked the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to expose those financing terrorism and insecurity in the country and bring them to book.

Speaking further, Ayokunle called on the government to reach a compromise with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in order to call off the ongoing strike.

He said, “Care must be taken to ensure that the 2023 election does not become a sham. If insecurity is not taken care of by the government, there will be no 2023 general elections.

“Going by the present state of affairs in the country, are we sure the bandits and terrorists will not overrun the country before 2023? “These criminals are moving from one level of sophistication and recklessness to another. Nigerians want a better society, and if we do not deal with this insecurity, I don’t think there will be any election in 2023.

“Why has the government not deemed it fit to expose those financing terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria? For whose benefit are you hiding their identity? Nigerians want to know those who have put us in this mess as well as those who are aiding and abetting them.

“2023 is not realistic when we leave our children at home. Let us call on the Federal Government so that within a very short time, they should reach a compromise with ASUU so that they can go back to the classrooms.”