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Plateau State Commissioner of Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Mr. Yakubu Dati has alleged that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal and former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara were negating the principles of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of maintaining peace in Nigeria.
Dati claimed the two politicians were creating division among Christians using CAN following the decision of All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu to appoint former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
He alleged that Lawal and Dogara had lost out in the quest to be appointed running mate to Tinubu.
“But it is now an open secret that the position of CAN, may have been influenced by the duo, purely out of vendetta against the APC presidential candidate, for not looking their way to pick his running mate.”
The Commissioner said CAN was established to make peace reign in the country, by settling ethnic and religious crisis, and that it has efficiently carried out this responsibilities over the years.
He said since CAN has elected a new leadership to steer its affairs, it is was important to save it from being dragged by politicians to achieve their selfish aims.
The Plateau Commissioner said that there was no way Tinubu would have picked either Babachir Lawal who hails from Adamawa State or Yakubu Dogara from Bauchi State because of the implications to his electoral fortune, adding that Adamawa where Babachir hails from and Bauchi, Dogara’s home state are both PDP controlled states.
“Both men, in spite of their positions and enormous resources at their disposal, have consistently failed to deliver their respective states to the APC. This is unlike Tinubu who always delivers,” Dati said.
He said it was Tinubu who nominated Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Buhari administration as a mark of respect for the Adamawa born politician.
“Left for Tinubu who was then one of the national leaders of the APC, Babachir would have continued in office and probably even retained the position in the second tenure of the Buhari administration like his kinsman, Boss Mustapha has done, but for the notorious ‘grass cutting’ controversy that eased him out of the government,” he said.
He said due to the hullabaloo generated by Babachir and Dogara, Tinubu had gone ahead to pick Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau State and Chairman of Northern Governors Forum to lead his campaign as the Director General.
“This choice is based on Gov Lalong’s enviable track record of fairness regardless of tribe, religion or creed. His excellent management of men and resources resulting in the restoration of relative peace in the once restive Plateau State has projected him to national limelight.
“As a Knight of the Catholic faith, Gov Simon Lalong also resonates with the northern Christians whose fears have been allayed. Those trying to rock the boat by insinuating that his appointment is an attempt to ridicule Christians were the same lot that campaign vigorously against Christians candidates, including an ordained pastor, at the APC primaries,” he said.
He tasked religious bodies to be accommodating to all adherents without allowing themselves to be led by the nose by those who remember the association only when their selfish interests are at stake.
“Religious leaders should be wary of being reduced to lap dogs of politicians. This is the real challenge before the new leadership of CAN,” he said.
