2023 ELECTION: The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have recounted what it termed as “funny and dubious things” which the campaign team of Senator Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate have been doing in the course of Tinubu`s run for the office of the president.
CAN have said that Bola Tinubu`s team have been dishing out lies in “desperation” trying to give out the impression that the Christians are in support of his presidential ambition.
Clariform reports that Senator Bola Tinubu being a Muslim himself have chosen a fellow Muslim as running mate and thereby creating a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the APC for the February 2023 election.
This has created a nationwide backlash, prompting multiple groups and denominations, both Christians and Muslims to denounce the APC and Tinubu
In a statement on Wednesday, the Christian body “wonders why the desperation” by the APC campaign team.
“First, a story was out claiming to have come from the Chairman of CAN Borno state only to be refuted.
“Secondly, there was another lie that BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) and his running mate were on their way to meet CAN President one night.
“A meeting that was not true and was on a night that the CAN President was in Alabama USA attending the Baptist World Alliance Conference of which he is the Vice President
“Another desperation story was that they met Papa Adeboye which the RCCG later refuted”, the statement reads.
CAN also wondered why Tinubu and the APC will ignore the need to balance the presidential ticket with a Christian running mate, and now try to give the impression that Christians actually matter to them, noting that “If Christians are not important why the desperation?
Clariform had also earlier reported that some individuals who attended the unveiling of Senator Bola Tinubu`s running mate, Kashim Shettima on Wednesday in Abuja have been described as “Mechanics and other artisans” with “clerical garments.”
This description was made by a spokesperson of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Wednesday, which also disowned and dissociated themselves from the individuals.
The persons who were dressed as bishops of the Christian faith at the All Progressives Congress (APC) event are said to have done so as act of desperation and were there merely for themselves and not for the Christian faith.
According to the Vice President of CAN, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, in the 19 Northern States and Abuja and the chairman in Kaduna State, the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu may have indulged in this act of desperation by hiring men on ” clerical garments” to pose as Christian Bishops.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Chairman said that Tinubu is free to “hire mechanics and other artisans and sew clerical garments for them”, but such act of desperation does not in anyway address the need for fairness and justice.
Takeaway:
CAN said that the Tinubu campaign team have been dishing out several lies in the course of his campaign.
They allege that most of the messages from the Tinubu camp regarding their reaching out and meetings with the Christian community are false and misleading.
The Christian body therefore urged Senator Bola Tinubu and the APC to desist from further lies and pretenses in the course of their presidential campaign as such dishonesty and acts of deception would continue to backfire on them.
Notable Quotes:
Speaking further, he said, “The people we saw at the unveiling of Shettima paraded as Bishops are people who did not have enough time to learn how to wear Bishop garments. Take a closer look at their photo and you will see another Nollywood movie.
“CAN wonders why the desperation. First, a story was out claiming to have come from the Chairman of CAN Borno state only to be refuted.
“Secondly, there was another lie that BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) and his running mate were on their way to meet CAN President one night.
“A meeting that was not true and was on a night that the CAN President was in Alabama USA attending the Baptist World Alliance Conference of which he is the Vice President.
“Another desperation story was that they met Papa Adeboye which the RCCG later refuted. If Christians are not important why the desperation?
“BAT is free to hire mechanics and other artisans and sew clerical garments for them. An effort that will only add to their many ropes when the political exercise is over but will not change the need for fairness and justice that CAN is calling for.
“CAN appreciate that we are in a democracy, no need to do funny and dubious things just to prove a point because it will in the end bounce back. BAT team should simply do what is right and stop the drama.”
