The Primate of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Henry Ndukuba, has called on Nigerian youths to resist attempts by politicians to recruit them for violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja during the 15th Anglican Chancellors, Registrars and Legal Officers Conference (ACRLOC), Mr Ndukuba warned that some politicians exploit poverty and hardship by offering money and drugs to vulnerable young people in exchange for carrying out violent acts during elections.
He noted that while many political leaders send their own children abroad for education, they often persuade underprivileged youths to engage in thuggery and other unlawful activities to advance their political ambitions.
According to him, elections should not be treated as a battle for survival, urging politicians to focus on issue-based campaigns rather than intimidation or violence.
Mr Ndukuba stressed that although economic hardship leaves many young people vulnerable, they should refuse to become instruments in the hands of desperate politicians.
He observed that politicians rarely involve their own children in election violence, instead recruiting other people’s children to take the risks. He therefore encouraged Nigerian youths to reject every form of political thuggery and violence.
The Anglican leader added that politics affects all sectors of society, including traders, transport workers, commercial tricycle operators and religious organisations. He encouraged Nigerians, especially Christians, to register with political parties, participate in internal party processes and hold electoral and security institutions accountable.
Expressing optimism about Nigeria’s democratic future, Mr Ndukuba said greater citizen participation and the proposed introduction of state policing could help improve future elections.
During his keynote address, he also spoke on developments within the Global Anglican Communion following the G26 conference held in Abuja, describing the establishment of the Global Anglican Council as a major constitutional step toward a scripture-based global Anglican covenant.
Earlier, the Registrar of the Church, Kehinde Ajoni, said the conference was organised to strengthen church administration through integrity and ethical leadership. She urged legal officers across Anglican dioceses to remain voices of conscience while resolving internal disputes.
The conference, themed “As For Me and My Household, We Will Serve the Lord,” began on August 3 and will conclude on August 6.