“We cannot afford to be passive,” Catholic Official Urges Early Grassroots Mobilization Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 Polls

Abuja, 08 December, 2025 / 9:33 PM

Catholic Diocesan structures and key stakeholders need to intensify grassroots mobilization, voter education, and election preparedness well ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has said.

Speaking to ACI Africa on the sidelines of a three-day Annual General Meeting (AGM), which CSN’s Church and Society Department organized for national leaders of Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Family and Human Life unit, Education and Migration, Fr. Michael Banjo noted that political actors have already begun preparations for the polls.

“Politicians are already preparing, and we cannot afford to be passive. This is the moment for grassroots mobilization and voter education, and to train and deploy competent election observers and strengthen advocacy for reforms that ensure transparency and real-time results transmission,” Fr. told ACI Africa on December 6. 

He insisted that the Church has an obligation to help protect Nigeria’s democratic process.

“The Church relies on their commitment to help safeguard the people’s mandate,” the Nigerian Catholic Priest said.

Fr. Banjo linked the call for early election preparedness to the broader mandate of Catholic Social Teaching (CST), which he described as essential for shaping responsible citizenship, governance, and national development.

“Its principles are indispensable for sound administration, good governance, social transformation, and the building of a civilization of love,” he said.

He disclosed that the CSN has already integrated CST into its staff formation and is now expanding the initiative nationally, with a primary school textbook already completed and awaiting final editing before publication, while nursery and secondary versions are being developed.

“By embedding CST in the earliest stages of learning, we are laying the foundation for long-term national renewal, forming citizens and leaders capable of building a just and peaceful society,” he said. 

In line with the ongoing Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, Fr. Banjo also urged Dioceses to prioritize the release of detainees held for minor and bailable offences due to financial constraints, calling on JDPC units to take the lead in advocacy and intervention efforts.

“Many people remain in detention for bailable offenses simply because they lack the means to secure their freedom. Addressing this challenge belongs rightly to the Justice, Development and Peace Commission,” he said.

Through collaboration with other Church units and the National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL), he urged Dioceses to intervene not only in securing release but also in reintegrating released detainees. 

“Let the Jubilee reach our prisons through your hands,” Fr. Banjo said. 

Reintegration efforts, he added, must include skills training, livelihood support, and pastoral care to ensure lasting impact.

The CSN official acknowledged that some Dioceses already undertake this work and encouraged others to adopt it as a meaningful contribution to the Jubilee Year.