From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Conference of Concerned Christians of Nigeria (CCCN) has tackled the All Progressives Congress (APC) for hiring some persons dressed in the regalia of clerics at the unveiling of Sen Kashim Shettima as running mate to APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu.
It also maintained that the faith ticket was uncharitable to the Christian family and challenged the APC to disclose the names of the clerics and their respective denominations, to allow for scrutiny.
CCCN National President Bitrus Chollom and National Secretary Pastor James Alkali, in a statement on Thursday, warned those parading as clerics to be careful so as not to attract the wrath of God.
Chollom vowed to publicise the identities of interlopers and usurpers, in a bid to convince Nigerians that the APC – as presently constituted – is, indeed, a scam that happened to the country.
Related: CAN disowns bishops at Shettima’s unveiling
“For instance, many, who witnessed the ‘show-of-shame’, wondered why true ‘men of God’, who are worth their salt, will shove and push, in order to gain entrance to the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, the venue of the unveiling ceremony.
“We challenge Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to disclose to the world the identities of the so-called pastors and bishops, who were so unsure of themselves, by virtue of what transpired during their ‘shopping-in’.
“To the charlatans, we advise you to repent of your evil outing, denounce the choreography that characterised the event, to serve as recompense.
“As a responsible body that serves to preserve the ends of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), we will deploy all legal and legitimate resources at our disposal, to unveil the veil that the detractors of Christianity thought will shield their identities.
“It is unfortunate that these evil men failed to ponder over the persecution Christians are suffering in the North – especially – before embarking on this infantile journey.
“May we use this opportunity to assure the CAN, and by extension, the majority of Nigerians, that the will of God will definitely prevail come 2023, regardless of whatever gimmicks the APC and their presidential candidate may be up to.
“The General elections, no doubt, will serve as a referendum on bad governance, occasioned by insecurity, biting poverty, hunger and excruciating concerns that debase humanity under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
“We are happy that the CAN has since reacted to the charade of endorsement that happened in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Samson Ayokunle, had said: “Though the bishops in question are not members of the Christian Association of Nigeria at all levels and so, they are not known to us, the fact that they claim to be leaders of Christian churches necessitates that we clear the air and reiterate our stand against the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“Anyone can put on a cassock and claim to be a priest or a bishop. However, none of those men at the event is known to CAN as a church leader.
“Some desperate politicians are only seeking to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians and hoodwink them into accepting a Muslim-Muslim ticket by hiring fraudsters to brandish as Christian clerics to endorse their unpopular decision.
“Let them name the CAN officials at the programme and their offices. If they could use 2017 photos to claim that some pastors visited Shettima and lied that the CAN chairman in Borno endorsed him as vice presidential candidate using an old interview he granted five years ago, then we are not surprised.
“This one thing is clear: CAN was not part of the unveiling programme of Shettima.”