Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, on Sunday pleaded with the people of the state to avoid engaging in any act capable of derailing the general election slated for this week.
Odili, in his Easter message to the people of the state, stated that the nation needed peace so as to be able to transit from one civilian administration to another.
He appealed to the people to renew their faith in God and be drawn closer to Him so as to have a clear direction on what to do during the poll.
Odili also called on the people to use the period of Easter to renew their faith in Christ, and �be committed to the unity of our people, and bring peace, love and fear of God to bear in all activities.�
Odili said, �The cost of peace is better than strife.�
He said the betrayal, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ represented three phases in the life of every Christian and called for more emphasis on the meaning of Easter, which centres on the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation.
The governor noted that reconciliation was a basic ingredient in any purposeful Christian living and called on the people to eschew bitterness and acts of gangsterism during the April elections.
According to him, �God wants a peaceful democratic transition in Nigeria. That is why in His wisdom, He planned the general election to hold after Easter.
�As peace-loving people, we enjoin you to lead by example in the forthcoming general election.�