From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Coalition of Christian Youth Groups, has described the congratulatory letters extended to President Bola Tinubu, by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) as a mere expression of goodwill, and not acceptance of the election that are not credible, and couldn’t have produced a credible outcome.
The group, in a statement jointly signed by Nath Bitrus and Agape Enioluwa, Coordinator and Secretary, respectively, maintained that the February 25th presidential election was marred by gross and widespread violence, in addition to rigging, malpractices and other irregularities, as testified by both local and foreign observers, including the European Union.
The group, however, said it wasn’t in support of the congratulatory letters, thus questioning the rationale behind congratulating an administration that hit the ground running with widespread hardship and suffering for the people in less than 24 hours of its inauguration.
“What is there to congratulate? Are they congratulating the government for visiting untold hardship, starvation and even death on the people? For the records, the Christian Community are not in doubt about those who hold the interest of the nation at heart, those who have taken an unshakable stance for truth, equity and justice, those who have continued to speak against the evils being unleashed on the church of Christ, and the greater majority of Nigerians. These are the people we hold in high esteem, and both God in heaven, and history on earth shall be kind to them.
“But those who have defied all reasons, sensibilities and sensitivities to scribble those contemptible notes using the platform of the Christian Community, only did so in pursuit of their personal interests, and not for or on behalf of Christians in Nigeria.
“They will have their conscience and the just, impartial and incorruptible God to face. Those frivolously scribbled pieces will go down in the annals of time as some of the worst endorsements of darkness from the citadel of light. Those insensitive letters can be dismissed as ill-thought, misplaced and misguided in every sense.
“We, therefore encourage every Christian, and all true lovers of justice, democracy and freedom in Nigeria, to disregard them as we wait patiently for the outcome of the petitions arising from one of the most fraudulent, manipulated and rigged elections in the history of our nation.
“Those who deserve dishonour cannot escape it even after they have been hurriedly aided by fraud to sit on the throne of honour.
“So, we find those smuggled congratulatory messages misplaced, misguided, provocative and treasonable to the body of Christ in particular, and to all lovers of democracy and justice in Nigeria.
Congratulating those who rode to power on a stolen mandate through widespread electoral frauds, is akin to endorsing illegality, and granting legitimacy to illegitimacy,” the group said.