Hi Friends,
Having been to Nigeria twice I understand a little bit about the importance of this election. The battle on the ground is intense, and the price of freedom has been with the lose of tens of thousands of lives over the past few years. Please take this battle into the spirit realm, to the throne room of grace, and let us seek the Father until Jesus Christ reigns completely in this beautiful nation of Nigeria.
For His Glory,
Joe
ELECTIONS LOOMS AS PERSECUTION GROWS: in Africa’s most populous country
WIN EMERGENCY PRAYER ALERT from win1040.com
Major intercession is needed for Nigeria as security forces of Africa’s most populous country have been placed on high alert ahead of crucial elections to “clamp down heavily” on anyone threatening to undermine the vote.
Voters head to the polls Saturday, April 21, 2007 to cast ballots for the national legislature and the president―a vote meant to give Nigeria its first-ever civilian-to-civilian transfer of power.
Previous electoral transitions in the country—Africa's most populous nation with 140 million people and its largest oil producer—have been interrupted by annulments or military coups.
April is “a month of very critical national choices and decisions that will have very far-reaching consequences,” President Olusegun Obasanjo said. “The Nigerian police and all other security agencies have therefore been placed on full alert to clamp down heavily on any persons who engage in actions that threaten our collective desire for trouble-free elections in the coming days,” he said.
Obasanjo’s 1999 election ended years of military rule and the 2007 vote, if successful, would be Nigeria’s first transfer of power between elected leaders in its coup-ridden 47-year independence from Britain.
Last week, campaign group Human Rights Watch said Nigerian voters faced violence and intimidation. Clashes between supporters of different candidates have left scores dead in recent months.
Tensions have risen in recent weeks after a main opposition candidate, Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, was barred from the race by the electoral commission, which said a government panel had found him corrupt.
Abubakar, a one-time Obasanjo ally who fell out with his boss, called the decision politically driven and is fighting his disqualification in the courts. Abubakar and Obasanjo split last year after the vice president helped quash a drive by Obasanjo's supporters to amend the constitution and allow the president another term in office.
The two other main candidates are Katsina Governor Umaru Yar’Adua, of Obasanjo’s ruling People’s Democratic Party, and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, a former military leader.
Yar’Adua is a Muslim, whose wife is reputed to be involve in planting mosques. His running mate is Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a nominal Christian and governor of the oil-rich Niger Delta region, located in southern Nigeria.
Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party, attempted to turn Nigeria into an Islamic nation during his time as a military head of state. His running mate is Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, a nominal Christian from the eastern part of the nation.
There are two Christians vying for the post of President, the Rev. Chris Okotie of the Fresh Democratic Party and Professor Pat Utomi. “It will take supernatural intervention for any of these two to be elected as president,” the Movement of African National Initiatives (MANI) said.
Presidential candidates of the three largest parties are Muslims from Northern Nigeria, which is a big challenge for the Church in Nigeria.
“Humanly speaking, the stage looks set for a Muslim to come to power come May 29, 2007,” MANI said. “It will take a clear divine intervention for the situation to be otherwise. The intervention is urgently needed now. Nigeria must have as her next president, a man chosen by God to lead her into His plans and purposes.”
The Church in Nigeria experienced persecution for the past eight years of democracy under the regime of Obasanjo, who is a Christian. Many states in Northern Nigeria adopted Sharia during Obasanjo’s presidency, which led to intense persecution of Christians.
“As it is today, Christians in many states in the north are treated as second class citizens in their motherland,” MANI said. “Will it get any better under a Muslim president?”
Recently, Christians have been appallingly persecuted in Northern Nigeria with churches burned, Christian children kidnapped by Islamists and Christians killed. On March 23, 2007, the building used by a 500-member church belonging to the Evangelical Church of West Africa was torched in the northern state of Gombe.
Nigeria is ranked No. 27 on Open Doors’ World Watch List of nations where Christians are persecuted for their faith.
Pray for:
- The forthcoming elections, that God will raise up before the people His candidate, a “Cyrus” whom God will use to lead this nation of some 130 million, half of whom are not Muslim, and most of whom just want peace, justice, equity, liberty and progress. (Isaiah 45:1-13)
- God to spare Nigeria during the elections from violence, blood shed and breakdown of law and order. (Joel 2:17)
- Nigeria to fulfill its place as a nation with a divine destiny. (Acts 17:26)
- The local, state and presidential candidates who are going into covenants with Satan, so they can attempt to win the elections. Pray that the presidency and all other positions will go to the ones appointed by God. (1 Kings 2;15, Daniel 4:17,33)
- God has led Nigeria through troublous times in the past. Pray that He will do it again. Pray Isaiah 51:9-10 over this key 10/40 Window country.
- The Christian population to feel empowered to vote for candidates who will rule with justice, particularly on religious issues. Pray that the Christian minorities in the north would band together in order to force concessions out of candidates in the final stages of electioneering. Pray also that the concessions would be a clear commitment to protect Christians against future persecution.
- God to comfort and give peace for all the persecuted and fearful Christians in Northern Nigeria, where persecution is systematic and brutal. Pray for God to encompass His people amidst trials and terror, protecting them from hostile forces.
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