2023 ELECTION: Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the presidential flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has responded to the confusion arising from the appearance of some individuals described as “fake clergymen” by the Nigerian Christian community, who he (Tinubu) allegedly hired for the unveiling of his Muslim running mate.
The APC candidate runs a joint Muslim-Muslim ticket with Senator Kashim Shettima, a two term governor of Bornu State, who is a Muslim as Tinubu.
His selection by Bola TInubu has caused unsettled controversy across the country leading to public denunciation by both Christians and Muslims from across the country.
Kashim Shettima was unveiled as Tinubu`s running mate in an APC political event held at the Shehu Yar’adua centre in Abuja on Wednesday, during which men who were dressed in religious garments depicting that of Pastors and Bishops of the Christian faith were seen in suspicious circumstances.
However, in a swift reaction, the Christian community has said that these individuals are not known to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and were possibly hired “Mechanics and other artisans” hired by the Tinubu campaign team.
CAN also alleged that the APC and Bola Tinubu campaign team have been going about dishing out false and misleading information about the relationship of Tinubu and the Christian community in Nigeria.
Reacting to the accusation of hiring fake clergymen, Bola Tinubu have in a statement responded to this accusation, describing it as “as unwarranted distractions” by those he referred to as his political opponents.
Notable Quotes:
In further reaction to the videos and pictures of these alleged “fake clergymen”, which circulated widely online, the Director, Media & Communication of Tinubu`s Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, the APC candidate said:
“We want to say that those clergymen were not fake, not mechanics or yam sellers as the purveyors of hatred have made Nigerians believe in the social media. They are not big names in Christendom yet, but they are gradually building up their missions”.
“They are church leaders who genuinely believe that Nigerians must eschew politics of hatred and religious bigotry and rather embrace politics of peace and nation building.”
“The orchestrated social media sensation over the presence of the men is needless and all calculated to detract from the huge success recorded at the momentous event on Wednesday,” he said.
“We, therefore, deplore the hysterical twisting of the presence of these men and women in cassocks and the false accusation against our candidates, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Shettima.”
“We are well aware that the opposition parties and the sponsors of the social media charade are jittery and threatened by the intimidating political credentials of our candidates. The only way they hope to shift the attention of public scrutiny away from their uninspiring candidates and credentials is to create social media distraction.
“Our campaign is determined on focusing on core governance issues that affect all Nigerians with a view to confronting them and making the desired improvements in the standard of living of our people.
“We believe Nigerians are too wise and discerning to see through these shenanigans. Asiwaju Tinubu and his running mate and our great party are working very hard to provide purposeful leadership and good progressive governance that will improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
Takeaway:
- The Christian community represented by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have disowned the “fake clergymen“.
- the Bola Tinubu campaign organisation have denied that they are “fake clergymen“, insisting that they are “church leaders”.
- The Bola TInubu team have however not provided any evidence to collaborate their claim, and have provided neither the identity of the clergymen nor what church they lead or worship with.
