The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has
alleged that the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, is deliberately planning to
shut out Christians in the country from voting in
the 2015 general elections.
The President of CAN, Ayo Oritsejafor, who stated
this at the association’s national executive
council meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, said he
was suspicious of a sinister motive by the
Commission following its poor handling of the
distribution of the permanent voters’ cards.
He, however, warned that Christians would resist
such a plan if the Commission was truly
harbouring it just as he appealed to faithful to
register and vote in other to participate in
governance.
Mr. Oritsejafor did however not substantiate his
claims. He did not say exactly how the electoral
body is shutting out Christians and how it is
failing to issue them cards.
He only said, “I want to say passionately to
Nigerians, go and get your voters’ cards. I want
to appeal to INEC to double up. Our people must
register and have their voters’ cards.
“I hope INEC is not doing something deliberate
here in order to prevent Christians from voting. I
hope Professor Attahiru Jega can hear me. We
must all vote and vote wisely.”
The clergyman also warned the Boko Haram sect
to end their terrorist activities in the North East
region, adding that the association was ready to
meet senior Muslim clerics with a view to ending
the insurgency and unprovoked attack on
Christians and churches.
He demanded that fifth columnists among
security agencies, which allegedly are sabotaging
government’s war against insurgency, should be
fished out and dismissed.
According to him, the nation’s territories that had
been taken over by the dreaded Boko Haram sect
are predominantly populated by Christians who
he said were no longer safe.
Mr. Oritsejafor restated that the insurgents were
waging a religious war against Christians, adding
that he had remained a critic of the satanic
activities of the group.
“What is happening in the North-east is
unacceptable,” he said.
“What is happening there is unacceptable to us.
Christians are the main victims. We are not
saying that other people are not affected. But
Christians are the ones affected more. All the
places where Boko Haram has foisted their flags
are dominated by Christians.”
“They have taken over Mubi in Adamawa state
which is dominated by Christians. Somebody will
now tell me this is not religion. Who is fooling
who? Nigerians should accept that we have a
problem,” the leader of Christian community in
Nigeria stated.
Again, Mr. Oritsejafor did not provide facts and
figures to back his claim that adherents of a
particular religion have been more on the
receiving end of the Boko Haram insurgency.
The CAN president however called on Nigerians to
pray to God to put an end to the mindless
killings.
He said he would not join other Nigerians who
had created names for themselves by constantly
criticising the military, but would continue to ask
the leadership of the military to fish out saboteurs
if the war against terror must be won.
He said, “All well meaning Nigerians must pray
and continue to pray. We must pray. I will not
join those condemning our security agencies.
They are Nigerians. Women are losing their
husbands and children are losing their fathers. I
want to challenge the military. They can do
better. They must continue to fish out those
sabotaging their efforts. Those people should be
expelled. They are in all the security agencies.
“No matter the intention you have, if you have
people working against you, you will not succeed.
There are too many people in the system working
against the system. Why should these kind of
things be happening? Innocent people are being
killed. It’s too much. Enough is enough,” Mr.
Oritsejafor told the audience.
Mr. Oritsejafor also reminded the Federal
Government and other Nigerians of the need to
adopt new approach in the war against Boko
Haram, noting that the use of force alone could
not end the insurgent activities.
According to him, “Even though I have said the
military must continue to work harder, guns and
bullets alone will not save this problem. Boko
Haram is an ideology. Let us not run away from
it. You do not defeat an ideology with guns and
bullets. You defeat an ideology with a superior
ideology. Boko Haram will not listen to me.
“I want to make an appeal to our Muslim clerics
and Muslim political leaders to come together and
see how they can help us solve this problem.
They have the solution. There are some muslim
scholars Boko Haram members respect. To a
large extent, that is the only way out.
“As members of CAN, we are ready to meet with
them. I believe in progressive dialogue. This is my
strong appeal. I want to appeal to those at the
grassroots. This connects to the leaders. The
leaders should talk to those at the grassroots.
They should give reliable intelligence to our
security agents. Please, do not harbour these
people. They are not fighting for you. Expose
them.
While noting that there were journalists at the
meeting, the cleric asked them to pass the
message to the relevant authorities.
He said Nigerians would like to have a better
country where everyone was equal and have
respect for the constitution.
In fact, we want one constitution where everyone
will follow. Those saying Boko Haram is not
religious are deceiving themselves.
“We want a Nigeria where everyone is safe. We
want a Nigerian where a man is not judged by his
religion. That is the Nigeria we all want. If we
want one united Nigeria, we must all pay the
price for it.”
Mr. Oritsejafor called on the international
community to assist Nigeria and its people to
surmount the current challenges.
He said, “I believe as bad as the situation is, with
God, all things are possible. I know that there is
God. He will not forsake us. We have restrained
our people so much and we will continue to
restrain them. But I beg Nigerians to not let this
continue. These are dangerous and serious times.
“I was reading a report from a priest in Borno of
how churches have been destroyed. I wonder why
the international community is not saying
anything. Is this not human rights violation? We
call on government, NEMA, NGOs, the
international community. We need help. Our
people are dying. Come and help us.”
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170655-can-accuses-inec-of-plotting-to-disenfranchise-nigerian-christians.html

oritsejafo is à corrupt pastor

Religion suppose to solve problem but its Religion that cause problem for us.To me, some country hide under religion to cause division for us

although am a christian I do not understand what this guy is talking about inec want to disenfranchised Christianity please like how does inec do not give pvc to Christian? ayo watch your utterance stop tarnish our reputation stop wagging war against your opponent enough for this madness