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The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), yesterday, said Christians in the country would respond appropriately to the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the day of election.
Bishop of Kubwa Diocese, Rev. Dr. Duke Akamisoko, stated this in Abuja during a press conference, ahead of the forthcoming synod of the church, themed: ‘I chose and appointed you to bear fruit that will remain.’
APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, a Muslim from the southwest, had, on July 10, announced Kashim Shettima, a Muslim from the northeast, as running mate.
Akamisoko described the same-religion ticket as totally unacceptable to the Christian community, saying it constitutes a gross abuse of “our collective sensitivity as a nation.”
He said: “This is a demonstration of insensitivity to the plurality of religion; the polarised nature of Nigeria; the plight of Christians in Nigeria and the feelings of Christians in northern Nigeria.
“In fact, it is a direct insult on the entire Christendom. APC has made a choice; it is left for Christians in Nigeria to also make their choice.
“There can never be a rational explanation for such a selfish, greedy and self-centered decision by the APC. It is irresponsible of APC to take its political survival over the stability and peace of Nigeria.
“The party ought to have taken a cue from the opposition, and how President Muhammadu Buhari opted for a Christian running mate in 2015 instead of the Muslim-Muslim ticket.”
ALSO, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, said APC’s desperation to seek the support of Christians for the ticket will fail.
Chairman, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, said a recent publication by a group, ‘Progressive Christian Clerics, North West Zone’, has shown the presidential candidate and his running mate are desperate to get support, without recourse to genuineness of persons, groups or organisations.
He said: “As a minister of the gospel, I have been opportune to interact with and know most of the pastors in Kaduna. To the best of my ability, I don’t know the name of the zonal chairman (of the group) or the existence of a group like that.”
He added: “It is a pity. The desperation of APC’s presidential candidates to convince Nigerians that Christians are supporting them will definitely attract non-existent groups hoping to milk them.”
“If Christians were important, I strongly believe they would have been consulted and carried along. Using names, groups and organisations that are allegedly Christian will not change the reality of what CAN is talking about.”
SIMILARLY, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and APC chieftain, Yakubu Dogara, distanced himself from the ticket.
Dogara, a Christian, said CAN’s position on the matter is the position of God, warning that the ticket is a recipe for disunity and disaster.
The lawmaker said this, yesterday, during the 12th General Assembly and Leadership Transition Ceremony and Symposium on the Role of Christian Women and Youths in Politics, organised by CAN in Abuja.
He said: “The position taken by CAN is not only CAN’s position; it is not only the position of notable Christian leaders, like Babachir David Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and many others, who have spoken against it.
“It is also God’s position because we serve the God of justice. Our God is righteous. Our God is the author of diversity and He wants, as diverse as we are, to come together.
“So, CAN’s position, as much as it is a righteous position, is the position of all of us who love righteousness, justice, diversity, and are working to harness it for the advancement of this country.”
