From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna state chapter on Wednesday accused the presidential candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) of desperation to get Christians’ support at all costs including hiring impersonators ahead of the 2023 elections.
CAN chairman in Kaduna State, Rev John Joseph Hayab noted that a recent publication of an alleged group of Christians under “Progressive Christian Clerics, northwest zone” further reveals the destination of the APC presidential in getting the support of Christians in the country not minding the genuineness of the person, group or organisation.
Some persons under the auspices of Progressive Christian Clerics northwest zone claimed to have thrown their weight behind the Muslim-Muslim ticket fielded by the APC Presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and encouraged the Christian faith to ensure brotherliness, hence their decision to support the Tinubu/Shettima ticket.
That group in a statement by its zonal chairman, Rev Moses Bitrus claimed that it has membership across 19 northern states including Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with a call that Nigerians should be more concerned about electing leaders with the capacity to tackle daring security and economic problems militating against the country’s progress rather than issues of religious and ethnic sentiments
But in a terse denial of the existence of such a group in Kaduna state, the CAN chairman said “I have lived all my life in Kaduna and as a Minister of the gospel, l have been opportune to interact and know most of the Pastors in Kaduna.
“To the best of my ability, l don’t know the name of the zonal chairman nor the existence of a group like that.
“It is a pity that the desperation of the APC presidential candidates to convince Nigerians that they are being supported by the Christians in the country will definitely attract non-existence groups of people in the name of Christians claiming to support their candidacy to milk them.
“If the Christians were important, l strongly believed they would have been consulted and carried along in the struggle of the presidency by the APC in nominating the running mate to its presidential candidate. Using names, groups organisations that are alleged to be Christians will not change the reality of what CAN is talking about”, Hayab maintained.
According to him, “the Christians in the country know the difference between their genuine leaders from opportunists parading as Christian groups.
“Genuine Christian leaders would continue to speak out against divisive actions in the polity of the nation so that the generations yet unborn will have a peaceful and united country.
“Anything that is not in the interest of all Nigerians irrespective of any different, CAN not support it but will completely distance itself from such things that are meant to separate and cause suspicion, disharmony and hatred among the good people of Nigeria that desired the best from the leadership of the country.
“CAN would continue to preach peace, love and unity among its followers believing that that is the only way they could live in peace without any form of suspicion but togetherness among Nigerians”, he added.