2019 elections: Giving, collecting bribe to vote is sin – Catholic Bishop

The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Dr Paulinus
Ezeokafor has said that those who engage in vote buying in the 2019
general elections are committing sin, and need to atone for their sins
through confession.

The Catholic Bishop stated this during an interaction with journalists
on Thursday evening to convey his Christmas message, saying that next
year would be a critical decision-making year for the country and must
be taken very seriously.

He said, "Vote buying is a sin, and those who do that must go for
confession. It is a sin, sin in quote, I say in quote because you may
say it is not among the 10 commandments by God. So I put it in a
context so I can take responsibility for what I said.

"Even the one who received money to vote is also a sinner, and must go
for confession, because if you did not demand, the politician will not
give."

The bishop also cautioned Nigerians to celebrate the birth of Christ
(Christmas) in modesty, saying that the problems associated with the
yuletide have always been because people tend to achieve what they
could not in 11 month, in the month of December.

"The period of Christmas is a time for modesty and celebration of the
life of Christ which he lived for us. Live moderately and remember
that there will be next year, and that struggle and the challenges of
life will continue," he said.