The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and Abuja has reaffirmed its opposition to the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Secretary-General of the Christian body, Sunday Oibe, stated this in a statement on Sunday in Kaduna State, some months ahead of the presidential election.

“We reaffirm our stand against the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in a multi-religious and multi-cultural society like Nigeria, particularly considering the fact that the country has never been this divided along religious and ethnic lines before,” he said.

Following his victory at the APC presidential primary, Senator Bola Tinubu – a Muslim – had announced Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate in the forthcoming poll.

Shettima, a former two-term governor of Borno State, is a Muslim from the north-east region and the lawmaker representing Borno Central senatorial district at the National Assembly in Abuja.

Oibe called on politicians and political parties to be wary of those who might sneak to meet them secretly in the name of Christian leaders from the North, with the sole aim of wetting their political apatite and desperation for monetary gains.

He stressed that Northern CAN, as a reputable religious organisation, would never engage in any secret dealing with any politician as a matter of policy.

He, however, said the association would leave its doors open to any Nigerian who desires to share with them, ideas on moving the country forward.

The CAN scribe also expressed concern about the intractable insecurity ravaging various parts of the country, saying nobody is safe if terrorists could threaten to abduct the President and Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.

He, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rise up to the occasion by living up to his constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and property of citizens and defending the sovereignty of Nigeria.

“Nigeria is under siege by terrorists who are unleashing mayhem on the citizens and crippling economic and social activities across the country, particularly in states like Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kebbi, Sokoto, and even Abuja – the seat of power,” he decried.

“The continuous brazen and commando-like style, with which these terrorists operate unchallenged, even to the extent of issuing a threat to kidnap the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is worrisome. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to unite and pray fervently for the country and for the defeat of the enemies of the Nigerian state.”

Oibe asked the Presidency and the National Assembly to stop living in denial, saying urgent and proactive steps must be taken to save the country from collapsing.

He also congratulated the newly elected President of CAN, Reverend Daniel Oko, and pledged the association’s unalloyed loyalty to him.

“On behalf of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, we congratulate the newly elected National President of CAN, Reverend Dr Daniel Oko, and his vice, Reverend Dr Stephen Baba Panyam,” he said.

“We encourage them to stand firm like Joshua in the Bible in these difficult times and to be the real voice for the church in Nigeria. We pledge our unalloyed support in all areas to help them succeed.

Abfinest007:
Why are they .giving someone without political value so much attention.leave him let him eat his agbado and cassava alone

God1000:
me sef don tire

iSense247:
It is deliberate and necessary comerade. Let's suffocate Tinubu before 2023! elections.

yyba:
Reaffirms or not, nobody is forcing CAN to vote muslim /muslim.

God1000:
But they have every right to express their displeasure and dissatisfaction

yyba:
is CAN a organizations to tell a political parties who to choes as candidate ?

donprayer900:
Cutlass for agbado, cassava. APC mean business. Think of ur generation, not what u will get in ur pocket now. Be obedient and useful please

God1000:
religion is deeply embedded in our politics.

Moreover, the religious violence we continue to witness in the northern part of the country necessitates this outcry

yyba:
but it didn't necessitates the outcry in any of south east, south south state including benue and plateu state where both governor and deputies are christians since 1999 abi

Omoslim26:
Muslim-muslim ticket will be disasterous to both Muslims who do not support this terrorist in their fight against the FG and to attain an Islamic State.
It's even worse for Christians up North and MB.
We must all drop our differences and take out Apc first.
They are our common enemy.

God1000:
is there any religious war going on in the aforementioned states?


Whatever that is happening in those states is due to Buhari's ineptitude and cluelessness

yyba:
is CAN a organizations to tell a political parties who to choes as candidate ?

iSense247:
It is deliberate and necessary comerade. Let's suffocate Tinubu before 2023! elections.