By Wale Odunsi

Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, (APGA-Abia), at the weekend, mocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the 2023 elections.

The lawmaker told Nigerians to be careful of fake bishops, a reference to the appearance of clerics at an APC event in Abuja.

Their presence at the unveiling of Bola Tinubu’s running mate, Kashim Shettima, generated controversy and severe criticism.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) disowned the clergymen which the Tinubu campaign team said were genuine but not popular yet.

At the investiture of Rotarian Max Amuchie, the 6th President of the Rotary Club of Abuja (Central Business District), Abaribe charged cirizens to hold leaders accountable.

“We must look out for the truth and must be able to extract it from the prospective leaders”, NAN quoted him saying.

“Let us be wary of fake promises made on the spur of the moment now that we are having UGM (unknown god’s men) otherwise known as Agbado Bishops.”

The Abia South Senator noted that as 2023 approaches, “people are expectant, with trepidation though. There is anxiety and creeping doubt”.

Abaribe said the Osun governorship election won by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has shown that candidates matter, not parties.

“Performance and antecedents; not ethnicity or religion will be the determining factors of the 2023 elections”, he added.

Abaribe, however, expressed worry over the same faith ticket, stressing that it was against the grain of the intent of the Nigerian Constitution.

“This is a cogent reason why we must be involved in the 2023 election and even in the process leading to it”, he said.