Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has called on Nigerian Catholics to take an active role in the country’s electoral process, cautioning that withdrawing from politics because it is seen as a “dirty game” only creates space for individuals with questionable values to gain power.
Fayemi made the remarks at the plenary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held at Our Lady and St. Kizito Pastoral Centre in Oke-Gada, Ede, Osun State. He spoke on the theme “Faith in Action: Empowering the Catholic Laity for Active Political Participation Ahead of the 2027 General Elections.”
The former governor stressed that Christians have a duty to inject their values into public life in order to advance justice, accountability and the common good. He emphasised that meaningful political involvement must go beyond casting ballots to include contesting for office, joining political parties, monitoring elections, educating voters and holding elected leaders accountable.
“Public office is too serious to be left to people who have no fear of God. When serious Catholics committed to the ideals of social justice and the common good turn away from politics, we open the door for unprincipled opportunists to take power,” Fayemi said.
He urged Catholics approaching the 2027 polls to reject choices driven by ethnicity, religion, personal financial gain, political patronage or blind party loyalty. Instead, he advised them to evaluate candidates and programmes on the basis of their commitment to human dignity, justice, peace, security, development and the common good.
Fayemi further called on eligible Catholics to register to vote, collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and take part in voter education, election observation and efforts to strengthen democratic institutions. He also encouraged the Catholic Church to prioritise political formation, arguing that simply urging members to participate without preparing them for the demands of public service would fall short.
