By Sandra Umeh

A Catholic cleric Rev. Fr. Alfred Ugochukwu, has urged Nigerians  to be steadfast in prayer for credible and peaceful  2023 General Elections which begin on Saturday.

The cleric spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos as the church celebrates Ash Wednesday.

NAN reports that Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season in the Catholic Church calendar.

Lenten season is the 40-day fasting and prayer that will usher in Good Friday and Easter Sunday when Christians commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, respectively.

During Lenten season, Christians do more to abstain  from sins and engage in sober reflection as well as fast, pray and be  charitable and pious to mark the suffering of Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind.

According to Ugochukwu,  Lenten season should be a constant reminder to Christians that earthly possessions are vanity.

He urged christians to be focused on eternal life.

The cleric noted that Nigeria’s general elections  were near, urging  Nigerians to pray for successful election of good leaders.

“All our earthly pursuits are vanity; so, we must choose to utilise them in the right way because if we misuse them, they could lead us to hell but if we use them rightly, heaven is sure.

“As the 2023 elections are  around the corner, it is important we do the needful by going to the polls to elect our new leaders.

“It is also important we ask God during this period to give us leaders and not rulers,” he said.

Ugochukwu said that a good leader would  lead by example and put the interest of the masses at heart as  Jesus did by laying down his life for mankind.

“We ask God to help us to do the right things always and give us the grace to select good leaders who will shepard us just like Jesus,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola