Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has urged the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to intensify prayers for the peaceful and credible conduct of the 2027 general elections.
He cautioned against a recurrence of the political tension that preceded the recent Osun State governorship poll.
Adeleke made the call yesterday in Osogbo when he addressed Catholic bishops attending the second plenary meeting of the CBCN in the state.
The governor said the experience of Osun in the build-up to its recent election underscored the need for sustained prayers, responsible political leadership and concerted efforts to protect peace ahead of the 2027 polls.
“As you gather for this year’s conference, I urge the church to intensify prayers for the peaceful and successful conduct of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria,” Adeleke said.
He added that the Catholic Church, given its role in electoral peacebuilding, had an important responsibility to help secure the nation, the political class and the electorate as the country approaches the next general elections.
“As much as the Catholic Church is in the frontline of electoral peacebuilding, we need divine intervention to secure the nation, the political class and the citizenry as we head to the elections,” he said.
Adeleke recalled the tension surrounding the just-concluded Osun election, saying residents of the state understood the consequences of a breakdown of peace during an electoral process.
“All Osun residents know what it means for peace to fail in an electoral process. We pray Nigerians will not witness what we suffered in the pre-election space,” he said.
The governor expressed confidence that with divine intervention, Nigeria could achieve a peaceful 2027 election.
“We pray for divine grace to deliver a successful 2027 elections for our great nation,” he said.
Reflecting on his political experience, Adeleke described his administration’s emergence from what he called a “ruthless political war” as a victory achieved through divine intervention.
He said his government and supporters had faced severe political adversity but were ultimately delivered from what he described as repression.
“We passed through the valley of death but the Holy Spirit piloted and rescued us from the mouth of lions,” he said.
According to him, the situation became so difficult that his political camp was “almost swallowed up” and “almost in the belly of the big fish,” likening the experience to the biblical story of Jonah.
