2023 POLITICS: ELECT LEADERS WITH THE FEAR OF GOD.... Avoid Eight Years Of Autocratic Leadership. By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Esq.

Politics is a game of number, and the winner may take it all or adopt an all inclusive government. And Every political system operates either by the dictates of invisible hands or by the hand of the incumbent; whichever way, every society deserves the kind of government they get.

The story of Jesus and the two criminals is very instructive. A huge crowd roared, asking for a convicted criminal to regain his freedom while innocent Jesus is crucified. Two thieves were with Jesus on the cross, one to his right and another to the left. They did this to degrade Jesus to the status of a thief but they lost out. The huge crowd gathered not because of the two thieves that deserve to die, but because of innocent Jesus who they claimed had usurped the powers of God, blasphemed, threatened the Temple and therefore deserve to die.

The mammoth crowd did not pity Jesus, they screened "kill him, kill him' but a few persons were among the crowd who knew Jesus's strength of character, integrity and pedigree but could not come out in the open to declare it, for fear of being stoned to death by the people. Not many people can muster the energy to speak the truth to power. They speak against their own conscience so as to be in the good books of their powerful oppressors. Too bad!

So, those who knew Jesus had to wait for Him to be buried before they secretly went to His Tomb; but the Saviour wasn't there anymore. He subdued death and moved on. One of the criminals went to heaven with Him because he repented on the cross, his conscience was still alive. 

That's why today only a few can listen to their conscience and do the right things. Others belong to the crowd and their assignment is to chorus; kill him, kill him. He is a traitor, a betrayal, he blasphemed and threatened the Temple.

People with dead conscience shy away from the truth, they support obvious and glaring evil, injustice and also celebrate the wicked. In the political scheme of things, "conscience" is alien to so many political actors. When things go wrong they blame others and when things go right they praise themselves. 

The Bible recorded a salient question "shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound?" Before Christ came, God was decisive in his judgment. Ananias and Sapphira died for concealing part of the proceeds from  their own property. But Christ brought Grace which we now misuse to perpetually continue in Sin. The Bible in that question; reminds us that holiness is the way of God, and that Grace through Christ does not mean we should continue to duel in Sin because Grace abound.

In criminal jurisprudence, "conspiracy and common intention" connotes the involvement of persons or group of persons in the planning and/or execution of a criminal act. The Law does not spare one and convict the other once evidence of the act connects the parties or  accused persons. "Aiding and Abetting" carries the same principle, convicting all parties proved to be involved in a criminal act. 

There are also scenarios of those who aided the commission of a crime but cannot be linked to the act because of their professional skills. This is common in financial crimes where the masterminds of a criminal act carefully craft and supervised the process for others but could not be indicted. He aided the commission of the financial crimes but when put on the scale of justice, he is clean. Such crafty financial experts are in the business world as well as the political arena, public service and in all walks of life. 

It follows that the politics of 2023 in Nigeria, must be played with much reasoning and with some space for human conscience, because we deserve the kind of government we get as eligible voters. "Kill Him, kill Him. He is a threat to the political statusquo, He uttered threat against the temple, He is a blasphemer," did not help matters, as stated in the holy book with regard to the crucification of our Lord Jesus. Therefore, clear conscience, sound moral reasoning and fear of God, is required as we go in search of new leaders in 2023.

A good Christian cannot support evil, unmerited favour, criminality and cannot choose evil over good. Divinely anointed preachers who preaches against evil deeds are usually not very popular like the care free prosperity preachers. A preacher who duels on holiness and righteousness may not be very wealthy like the care free prosperity preacher. 

The preacher of holiness usually have few friends while the cute and smart prosperity preacher have millions of friends across the globe. The Bible says few are found on the narrow road that leads to Heaven, but the broad way to hell is heavily populated. That's why today many people support evil while few support righteousness/holiness. As they say it "who holiness help." Wait for judgment day, it shall surely come.

Let's keep sentiments aside and elect from among us leaders that truly fear God, leaders that will not compromise to empty our Commonwealth for themselves and their associates. Let's build today for the future of generations unborn, not only for ourselves.

In 2023, let us look for and elect selfless leaders like Dr Nelson Mandela, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Prof Ambrose Ali and Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. 

Let not repeat the mistakes of yesterday. 

So Help Us  God!