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— lf no hidden agenda, act swiftly before International communities attach meanings to scarcity

• Allow old, new naira notes to co-exist for a year

— The kind of President Nigerians deserve now

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

The Archbishop, Ondo Ecclesiastical Province, Simeon Borokini, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to urgently find lasting solutions to the naira and fuel scarcity across the country, to dispel insinuations of a hidden agenda to thwart the general elections.

Borokini, also, asked the President to act fast before the international community started reading the meanings of a hidden agenda by his administration.

The cleric said this at a media briefing to herald the 40th Consecration and 10th Inauguration Anniversaries of the Diocese of Akure, Anglican Communion.

According to Borokini who doubles as the Bishop of Akure Diocese, “My advice to the President is that he should do something urgently to resolve the issue of fuel and the redesigned of naira notes, especially as the election is coming near.

“So that international communities won’t attach meaning to it, there are speculations, people are reading meaning like they have a hidden agenda for the election not to take place, that’s why he should exonerate himself to make sure that he solves the problem of fuel and the redesigned naira notes.

” The President should act fast so that the new notes can go around the people who go to the bank can receive any amount they want because this is not the time for something like this to be happening, especially when election is coming.

“Since he has said Nigerians should give him seven days to decide on the redesigned naira notes, let us continue to pray that the seven days won’t be more than that.

” Let us wait for the seven days, before the seven days, there must have been an improvement.

” ln advanced countries, they give long period, I don’t see the reason why the date shouldn’t be extended, even in the United Kingdom, United States of America, they still allow people to spend the old notes.

” Nigeria is a big country, for our economy not to be paralysed, there should be an extension for the old notes, they should co-exist.

“I don’t think they should start rejecting the old notes, even a year is not too long, they should allow both the new and old notes to co-exist.

On the kind of President the country deserves now, the cleric said ” God should choose a man after his own heart for us as our President.

” We’re praying for a president that will have the fear of God and the interest of the masses at heart.

“As long as you have human beings in the system, don’t expect perfection. What we must be doing is continuing to pray for God to choose us.

“Man will continually be a man. Even as Christians, how do we behave as Christians? We want somebody who will fear God and have the interests of the masses at heart. “That is the person I advocate for to be our leader at this time.”

Speaking on the activities of the diocese in forty years, Bishop Borokini said that, it has grown in leaps and bounds, noting that it can boast of 100 churches within the diocese.

He added that ” the diocese had established schools, some Archdeaconries and Parishes has established schools, we also have a ministry of youths, women programmes and have established a medical centre.

Some of the activities lined up for the anniversary include the unveiling of the anniversary logo and statue by Chief Arthur Eze while the bishop of Theologian and Bishop of llesa Diocese, Rt Revd Dapo Asaju will deliver the anniversary lecture.

Others include, the widow empowerment program, carnival, choir competition, the festival of free medical outreach, football competition, award/ anniversary dinner and a Thanksgiving service of the 10th consecration / 40th inauguration anniversary on February 26 at St Davids Cathedral, Akure.