CAN president, Rev. Samson Ayokunle
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has issued a strong warning to the All Progressives Congress, APC to desist from impersonating christian clerics.
The party was embroiled in controversy after some individuals claiming to be ‘bishops’ attended the official unveiling of Kashim Shettima as the running mate to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the flagbearer of the ruling party.
Tinubu has been facing severe criticisms ever since he chose Shettima, also a muslim, as his running mate.The move has drawn serious criticisms and condemnation from the christian community in the country.
Below is a full statement from CAN
“The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has dissociated itself from the unveiling of the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kashim Shettima, saying those who were presented as church leaders are ‘unknown clerics’.
“We are shocked, disappointed and worried about the desperation of some politicians who once claimed Christians do not matter in governance and politics who went to hire some unknown ‘bishops, pastors and priests’ to impersonate the leadership of CAN in their political meeting.
“This is totally unacceptable, reprehensible, unprecedented and ungodly. If they are saying Christians have no electoral values why impersonating them in their meetings?
“We are throwing their principals and sponsors into the court of conscience. These actions of theirs have shown who they are to the public and what they are capable of doing to us all.
“We are asking political parties not to ignore religious sensibilities and sensibilities of the people especially in today’s Nigeria when Christians are becoming endangered species daily.
“Our quest is within the constitutional requirements and ignoring it is akin to trampling on the Constitution especially the Federal Character Act.”
