Adventists in Nigeria Urged to Not Vote in Election on Sabbath
By AT News Team, March 27, 2015: Adventists in Nigeria have been urged by denominational leaders to refrain from voting tomorrow (March 28) on the Sabbath. Sources in the largest African nation have told Adventist Today that some will ignore the plea of leadership; in fact some are candidates for elected office. “But a large number will not sell their conscience.”
Elections have been scheduled on Saturdays for a number of years in Nigeria. “We have been putting our case before the government for the past seven years,” said Pastor Joseph Ola, president of the denomination in the country at the time, in a 2003 news bulletin from the Adventist News Network (ANN). For nearly two decades now this problem has been unresolved.
“There is no method for an Adventist to vote ahead of time such as what is called an ‘absentee ballot’ in the United States,” an Adventist professor in Nigeria told Adventist Today. “Although Adventists have been disenfranchised for long, there has been no judicial appeals to force a change of some kind.”
This election is notable both because of the violence between Christians and a Muslim sect engaged in armed rebellion and because the two main candidates have relatively equal chances at being elected president. President Goodluck Jonathan is seeking another four-year term as chief executive of the nation and retired General Muhammadu Buhari is the most formidable of his 13 opponents.
Jonathan is a Christian and Buhari is a Muslim. Tensions between the two religions are so high, that the election was delayed for six weeks. In addition to the presidential contest, state governors, members of the Federal parliament and state legislatures are also being elected.
Two prominent candidates for governor in Abia State are Adventists; Laz Otti and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. Other Adventists are candidates for the Federal parliament and state legislatures in some places.
The lack of Adventist votes is not likely to be consequential, sources in the country told Adventist Today. Out of a population of 170 million, less than half a million are Adventist adherents, although there are nearly 3,500 congregations and a major university and other institutions affiliated with the denomination.
“Please pray for Nigeria,” one source told Adventist Today. “I am not concerned about voting. We need God’s hand to keep the peace.”
Jesus asked if it was unlawful to do good on the Sabbath. How could voting not be good if it has a chance to get a good candidate elected instead of a bad one?
Exactly, William
I am drawn to Jesus’ statement that He created the Sabbath for me, and that He didn’t create me for the Sabbath. The Sabbath then is not a barrier to my life in the world, it is the Divine doorway to a more deeply engaging experience of my life in the world independent of dealing with the persistent cares of life in the world.
Why not vote … or travel … or worship … or socialize … or sport … or learn … or just sleep –all of which and so much more constitutes doing good, as you note!
Not voting is selling your conscience to whoever is elected. This is absurd! There should be no official pronouncement. To do so is to place people’s conscience in the hands of the church and makes the church as decider of people’s morals. Shameful!
Elaine, it is the first time that I ever agreed with any of your responsesto whatever topic.
Congratulations! Stick around, you may have a chance to learn more!
What is the difference, not voting but doctors working each Saturday and not finding the time to go to church. I think the church needs to rethink its position. People need to make their choice. A SDA senior man is now the Governor General of Jamaica. I doubt he would excuse himself if he had to perform a function on Saturday. The church is becoming ridiculous.
In my.church all elections are always held on a Sabbath
Indeed. Each year when church officers are elected it is done high sabbath in what should be the worship hour. We have so many double standards in our church. Things that should be reserved for business meetings are done during divine worship simply to accommodate the people and not to please God. Just because it is church business does NOT mean that it is suitable for sabbath.
Let these people VOTE. How many time’s have we as SDA voted to accept or vote down the nominating committee report on SABBATH. Come on folk, let us be a little more consistent.
Victor, good point.
This takes me back to the 1950s in my teenage years, growing up in an isolated SDA ghetto in Western Australia. All of the SDAs, including my parents, had gained an exemption re voting. The regular candidate for our district was a fine Methodist man. I could never figure out why SDAs missed a golden opportunity to re-elect such a good fellow into office.
The Postmaster General’s Department had also been lobbied by my local community. The ghetto successfully gained permission for our local post office to remain open for an hour after sunset every Saturday evening so that the SDAs could pick up their mail after dusk. As far as I know it was a unique situation for the entire State. The Anglican postmaster was very grumpy, having to work extra hours, and would often show his disdain by literally throwing any mail at us across the counter.
We were “the peculiar people” of the Book of Hebrews and prided ourselves in it!!
For many years, the town of Loma Linda had no mail delivered on Saturdays but Sundays instead. I guess some good Adventists were afraid they might be tempted to open the mailbox and find some non-SdA magazines!