₦airaland Forum

Nothing could be more dangerous to the existence of this Republic than to introduce religion into politics’’

–Robert Green Ingersoll

These are dangerous times to be a Nigerian. As a people, we should all be alarmed at how the line between religion and politics has been blurred by our leaders in gross violation of the status of our country as a multi-religious society where leaders are forbidden by the constitution to promote one religion at the expense of another. But since the inception of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, we have seen how our leaders have openly, with disregard for our constitution used their official positions to promote religion while allowing religious leaders to meddle in the political affairs of our country. I consider the trend harmful and dangerous for our peaceful co-existence as a nation

For example, the President has spent the better part of his administration hopping from one religious place of worship to the other not minding how his dalliance with religion offends the sensibilities of Nigerians and violates the constitution. Our leaders have widened Nigeria’s religious fault lines, polarised and caused unhealthy rivalry among the faiths and their leaders. There is no doubt that there is a link between the dangerous trend of mixing religion with politics and the toxic political climate that has characterised politics in this administration.

Really every Nigerian should be scared by the dangerous and toxic religious and ethnic rhetoric that has dominated political discourse. The intolerance that has characterised the political environment, if not checked, will throw our country into chaos and may consume us all. What is happening in our country today reminds one of the hate campaigns that led to the Rwanda genocide and the religious clashes between Muslim and Christian rebels which have caused the death of thousands of people in Central African Republic.

It must scare us that our politicians, in their bid to retain or take power, are throwing caution to the wind. They are invoking hate campaigns and setting up religion or their leaders against themselves. They simply do not care if the country is set ablaze. One notable politician was recently criticised for wishing another politician dead. That is how low political discourse has sunk in our country. At political campaigns, politicians beat war drums through rhetoric that creates divisions along ethnic and religious lines. It is really scary to see our politicians carry on without any thought as to how their words and actions may signal an end to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

Our democracy can certainly not grow in an atmosphere dominated by primordial ethnic and religious sentiments fuelled by those who aspire to lead us. A situation where politicians resort to ethnicity and religion sentiments to whip up support portends grave danger for our country. Rather than engage on issue-based campaign, politicians focus on personal abuse. Not even during former President Olusegun Obasanjo tenure did we openly display intolerance based on religion. It should worry Nigerians that for the first time, we have seen how the choice for leadership by political parties is being determined along religious considerations. In this administration, we now talk of Catholic-Anglican ticket or Pentecostal-Protestant-Animist ticket. What is happening in our country today is ridiculous and dangerous. But I must say that this dangerous trend began in the lifetime of this administration. That is why I deplore the role of President Jonathan in the way he has been carrying on his role as the number one citizen of the country. Since he assumed office as the President in 2011, Jonathan seems to have completely forgotten that he is presiding over a multi-religious society. The President ought to lead by example.

During the struggle by Nigerians to actualise his presidency as a vice-president at the time of the demise of his principal, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, and the 2011 elections; Nigerians from all ethnic and religious creeds mobilised for him to become the first minority president. Unfortunately as his presidency has shown in the last six years, Jonathan has been behaving more like an ethnic and Christian president.

In his six-year as the number one citizen of the country, the president has been pandering to ethnicity and religion to either whip up sympathy or shore up support for dwindling presidential fortunes. But the president must know he is neither a Christian nor ethnic president. He is a Nigerian president. As our country’s number one citizen, he must know that he cannot afford to alienate any part of the country based on religion as he has been doing. He cannot afford to pander to one religious or ethnic group at the expense of the other. That is why Nigerians from all creeds voted for him. But the pan-Nigerian mandate that was briefly attained at the inception of his presidency has been frittered by Jonathan.

The President has no excuse. It is his duty to unite Nigerians. But he has done more to polarise the country along religious lines than any previous leader did. In the years Obasanjo presided over the affairs of the country, he never allowed religious leaders have so much influence on his administration. With his many faults, Obasanjo could not be accused of promoting or fraternizing openly with religious leaders as President Jonathan has been doing. During his time, Obasanjo only worshipped at the National Christian Centre. He was mindful of his position as the President of all Nigerians no matter their faith. He never allowed religion or religious leaders have a hold on his presidency. What do we find today?

We now have a President who mixes politics with religion to whip up sympathy. President Jonathan seems not to care the harm he is doing to the delicate fault lines that have kept our country on the brink and led to countless sectarian and religious violence. Let me be clear, I do not have issues with the President’s faith. He is free to practise his religion and worship in any church of his choice. But as the President he must do it privately. The President must stop his overt romance with every church and pastor.

A situation where the President frequents churches, mounts the pulpit to make policy statements or campaigns is not acceptable. For the past six years, the President has attended churches that one wonders how he has had time for governance. A situation where the churches all over the country jostle to invite the President to be a guest is distractive and polarising. What is even alarming is how the President uses every visit to a church to castigate his opponents or make policy statements.

Already the President’s unbridled dalliance with religion has polarised the church and embarrassed his presidency—the cash-for-arms scandal involving the Christian Association of Nigeria President, Ayo Oritsejafor, the Rev. Father Mbaka controversy and Bishop Oyedepo’s ‘gate of hell’ outburst are few of the embarrassments the President has caused the country on account of his mixing his religion with politics. It’s time to tell Mr. President to lead by example and stop mixing religion with politics.
•Follow me on twitter: @bayoolupohunda

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/mr-president-stop-mixing-religion-with-politics/

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eejo:
lies from apc e-rats the stadium is full the empty seat was a security precaution because they was plan to bomb and kill mr president am in the stadium live thousands troop out from zone 8 to stadium massive crowd

hmmm, oga the 'crowd' are at a corner hence the stiffness of the camera, cannot zoom out or pan to the sides.

front page..................

saaedlee:
Is sad sha,


And is david mark tired of wearing the agbada?

wearing the shirt na to resemble Obama small

this one no be news o, its suppose to go to adverts section.


pdp paid agents.................................

front page...................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1P51xBHFdQ


pls watch on the nta/link, the stadium isn't even half filled.

I now understand why they are desperately looking for debate.

please watch the live version before the 'videoshopping' go commence

in the united states, townhall meetings are crucial but debate is compulsory because it is recognised in the constitution and that is why you have the united states commission of presidential debates.the commission is non partisan in its duties.

it is not like here when anyone can just decide to do debate and probably the underdog candidate jumps more at it.

look at in 2011, jonathan did not bother to debate because he probably felt more confident of his chances.

it is okay to debate but it is not compulsory and a lot of things determine victory at the polls not one

gnews:
Well said, So many APC supporters decided to vote for GEJ after watching the documentary on AIT, my doctor friend also decided to vote for GEJ after Buhari couldn't clear the air on his certificate Issue. As for the debate if Buhari doesn't show up they going to lose more supporters. #GEJ 2019.

its normal in politics to see a republican vote a democrat and vice versa.as you think APC lost some vote, so also has PDP lost some votes to buhari because of the insensitivity of that so called 'documentary' and other pdp issues .life goes on.

I want to believe that Jonathan now jumping at debate shows more of the situation........pdp is desperately clinging.

in the united states, townhall meetings are crucial but debate is compulsory because it is recognised in the constitution and that is why you have the united states commission of presidential debates.the commission is non partisan in its duties.

it is not like here when anyone can just decide to do debate and probably the underdog candidate jumps more at it.

look at in 2011, jonathan did not bother to debate because he probably felt more confident of his chances.

it is okay to debate but it is not compulsory and a lot of things determine victory at the polls not one.

CFCfan:
I hope you would be okay with the either the Republican or Democrat nominee skipping the general election presidential debate next year.

in the united states, townhall meetings are crucial but debate is compulsory because it is recognised in the constitution and that is why you have the united states commission of presidential debates.the commission is non partisan in its duties.

it is not like here when anyone can just decide to do debate and probably the underdog candidate jumps more at it.

look at in 2011, jonathan did not bother to debate because he probably felt more confident of his chances.

[quote
author=Forwetinnah post=30365946]So in your mind now they came to endorse Buhari??

What planet did you fall from??

People who came to warn against Election violence and the people ALWAYS
responsible for it are supposedly being "endorsed". The fever wey dey
catch some APC people ehn; even overdose no fit cure am[/quote]my bros,pls am not implying that they endorsed of APC either.
I used the word endorsement just as an example.

[quote
author=jamace post=30365609]Shut it bros. What assistance has Kerry
and EU offered Nigeria in the fight against insurgency? Common to sell
weapons to Nigeria to fight insurgency, America refused. America has
nothing to offer Nigeria. In fact, any Nigerian who says that America
mean well for us is a certificated m0ron.[/quote

America isn't the issue.......ask first if the government of this country means well for its people

[quote
author=Forwetinnah post=30365404]So Kerry and European visitors go come tell Nigeria how to operate?
Don't they have laws they adhere to in their countries?? The electoral
law states that certificates should be provided. .there's nothing Kerry
or European visitors can do about it, you hear??[/quote]but had it been they endorse oga jona,their opinion would have mattered.
Pdp.....papa deceive pikin

Advertico:
since u are a lie detector, post the link for

you are the one telling the lies

Advertico:
since u are a lie detector, post the link for

you started the lies

lies lies lies........pdp desperadoes.
bakare spoke to .....where is the link.
naji ko,naji ni.

lying under oath ? You know how many lies oga jona has told under oath even in his campaign speeches.
I trust pdp not to play with fire.do they think Kerry and European Union visit to Nigeria na play play.

lies lies lies,who will buy your lies.

pdp paid agents........you are really desperate.

lies...............

DevilishKiller:
Honestly GEJ is working you cant deny that even apc bastards are aware of it thats why buhari is afraid of debate because he knows that it will be sucidal debating GEJ.


Buhari is a dunce
buhari is a terrorist
apc is bokoharam



gej till 2019

responding to your rantings will be legalising madness.

happydays1:
GEJ IS WINING COME FEB. I AND MILLIONS OF PVC HOLDERS IN LAGOS WILL MASIVELY TURN OUT TO VOTE IN GEJ. INCUBENT DONT LOOSE EXCEPT THEY DONT KNOW WAT THEY ARE DOING ...ASK MUGABE....

what a great comparison for jonathan---Mugabe?


anyway, incumbents actually loose in a thriving democracy. ask George H. Bush.President of the United States of America[1988-1992]

maestroferddi:
APC people are fighting everybody!

Finally, PDP has succeeding in getting APC where they want them to be: desperation and despondency.

pdp paid agent.

na una get desperation

Seun:
Can you give us updates of what he's saying instead of just spamming the thread with asslicking comments? Make yourself more useful!

seun, can you please be more polite and less partisan.


thanks.


from someone who admires you

asadike:
Talk is cheap

kaduna on Saturday should have shown you that this talk isn't cheap

Tonylyte:
Why is buhari towing the same path with gej? I thought u were advocating for change? Buhari is a clown backed by robotic chumps like you.

another pdp paid agent.......................you know them by their lack of civility in discourse.


is change about debate.

Vicotex:
had it been GEJ performance was poor in the agricultural section we wouldn't have had these bags of rice to share.

#Vote GEJ
#VOTE peace
#Vote development

joker

jhydosky:
Dear Berem,
I am supporting GMB for this election but I am not comfy with APC shielding him from debate.

GEJ is not superior to a Buhari. Man-to-man.

He will thrash the Otuoke Ph.D holder.

APC's strength is in her team and Buhari leads this team.

Please let GMB debate this guy!!

pls see the highlighted

Chuks Okocha and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation has dismissed the claim by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that its presidential candidate, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, had shied away from the presidential debate, preparatory to the elections in less than two weeks.

Despite the denial, the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation continued to badger Buhari on Sunday into taking up the challenge, stating with confidence that a presidential debate would afford its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, a platform to showcase his achievements in office.

The controversy over the presidential debate stemmed from APC’s refusal to participate in the debate organised by the Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) in conjunction with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), with the opposition party accusing the organisers of bias and a hidden agenda.

However, two days after APC pulled out of the NEDG/BON-organised presidential debate, the party’s campaign organisation accepted in principle to participate in a debate organised by the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), ARISE Television and Channels Television.

PDP also formally accepted in writing to participate in the NPAN/Arise/Channels TV presidential debate, which is scheduled to take place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja tomorrow.

In a statement on Sunday by the APC campaign spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, the party said its candidate would not shy away from explaining his policy plank on how to rebuild Nigeria, assuring the public that Buhari will make himself available for a debate and scrutiny like he had done in previous elections.

It added that Buhari would not hesitate to explore any opportunity to explain how he plans to rescue Nigeria from the abyss of insecurity, comatose economy, decaying infrastructure, massive unemployment and the poor public health situation into which the corrupt regime of the incumbent president has thrown it.

“What is the hullabaloo about Buhari not attending a debate organised by elements that have shown an unhidden bias towards his person, family, career and political interest?” Shehu queried.

“It is on record that the man (Buhari) had participated in previous presidential debates in 2007 and 2011, which PDP candidates did not attend.

“The APC and General Buhari have received several media invitations from different organisations and the party is still vetting the ones to attend due to time constraint and the motive of the organisers,” he said.

Taking a jab at Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, the spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Shehu dismissed the impression created by him that the boycott by Buhari of the BON-organised debate amounted to “shielding Buhari from an intellectual discourse” as the ranting of a man with deficit communications acumen and mastery of simple logic.

“The interpretation by the spokesman of the PDP campaign is a huge lie. Nigerians know Buhari as a man of high integrity and one that would not shy away from public scrutiny.

“He is the type that would declare his assets publicly, a no-go area for the sitting president who once said, ‘I don’t give a damn’ when challenged to do so in the past.

“Buhari has been to almost 32 states to explain his plans for the revival and resuscitation of our nation, and his endearing utterances have been aired to Nigerians who now support his cause en masse, unlike those who are losing party loyalists by the second,” Shehu stressed.

Despite APC’s statement, the PDP campaign team continued to challenge Buhari to a debate, stressing that it would go a long way in influencing undecided voters based on the arguments of candidates at the debate.

Fani-Kayode, who made the statement when he was confronted by journalists in Abuja yesterday, expressed confidence that while Jonathan would be speaking on his stewardship and the programmes he would unfold with a renewed mandate, Buhari, should he have a change of heart, would only be making empty promises.

He pointed out that a majority of Nigerians had already made up their minds to vote for Jonathan because “they have seen the efforts of this government and what has been going on for the last four years”.

According to him, “But for those that are yet to decide and perhaps for those who are leaning towards Buhari, if we have a live debate and everybody is allowed to speak his or her mind freely and fairly, I assure you that by the end of that exercise, General Buhari will be exposed for what he is and President Jonathan will be able to give the Nigerian people a glimpse of what he has to offer and also a good account of his record for the last four years.

“That is why the other side is running away. So I think at the end of the exercise, after such a debate, whether APC-organised or whether organised by anybody else, President Jonathan will come out in flying colours while General Buhari will come out a very unhappy man.”

He reiterated his offer from the day before, calling on the APC to “organise the debate, fill the panel with friends, set the questions, give copies of the questions to their candidate before the debate and even prepare answers for him.
“They can do all that and not only will we still attend but we will also floor them. We will make any concession in order to have the opportunity to debate with Buhari and show the Nigerian people how empty and shallow he (Buhari) really is.”
He continued: “We have stated our position loud and clear that our candidate is prepared to participate in any debate organised by anybody at anytime and anywhere in this country provided it is live and provided we have the opportunity to speak our mind in a free and fair manner.

“It is the other side that is running away from this challenge. One wonders why. We have absolute confidence in the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), and indeed, in anybody else to organise the debate.

“As a matter of fact, let me take this opportunity to throw the challenge to the APC and General Buhari: if it will make him feel more comfortable, let them organise the debate; let it be an APC-organised debate; let them have an APC panel; let them have questions that they will show their candidate even before we get there; we do not need to see the questions; let them give their candidate a preview of the questions; they can even have a prepared answer for their candidate to read if he finds it difficult to articulate his views and positions. We are prepared for all that.

“Let them have all those advantages and tell us about what they are going to do. As long as it is a live debate, we will be prepared to go even to that debate; and even at that point, under those circumstances, we would floor General Buhari and the president will do an admirable job by letting the Nigerian people know precisely what he stands for and he will also expose General Buhari for what he is.

“So whatever the circumstances, we are rearing to go. The challenge has been put to them and we are waiting for them to respond. Anywhere, anytime in this country, we are prepared to participate. It is the other side that is running away.”

taharqa:
After saying this just yterday's night, by 8 o'clock this early morning he has chickened out again cos of very intense FEAR.

hehe hehe hehe...

#COWARD!!

why not wait and say if they have really chickened out................

and is there any link for your so called chicken out?

mods..........take note

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