The General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr Mensah Otabil says citizens must see their votes as an immense power that gives legitimate mandates to elected leaders to govern the country.

Dr Mensah Otabil who spoke on the theme: ‘Your Vote’ as his sermon for this year’s election, said leaders who do not allow citizens to transfer their sovereignty to them through voting have by-passed the normal rule of nature.

According to him, every Ghanaian must go to the polls asking him or herself “does this person deserve my sovereignty?”

“In a democracy, no citizen can govern a state unless people surrender their sovereignty to him or her. That is why there must be a vote because the people have the sovereignty and they have to say “I want to give my sovereignty to support Mr. A or Ms B,’” Dr. Otabil said.

He said if people do not allow the voters to give them the mandate and take the back door to win political power, it is treasonable and a coup.

This sermon comes barely two weeks after portions of his previous sermons were used by political parties to campaign; giving the impression that he was taking a political stand in the topical issues in the election.

He said if people vote they have surrendered their sovereignty, saying “you are now telling somebody, “this is my vote. ‘I give it to you in expectation that you will do this for me. I have given my will, my power, my authority, my sovereignty to you”.