The Christian Association of Nigeria has pressed the All Progressives Congress to name CAN representatives who were present when Kashim Shettima, the party’s vice presidential nominee, was introduced by flagbearer Bola Tinubu.
Only five hours had passed since Rev. Joseph John Hayab, Vice President of CAN (19 Northern States and Abuja), had distanced his organization from the visit when the demand was made.
In a brief response addressed to journalists in Abuja, Adebayo Oladeji, the President of CAN’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Samson Ayokunle, posed the question.
“Let them name the CAN officials at the program and their offices. If they could use 2017 photos to claim that some Pastors visited Shettima and lied that Pastor E. A Adeboye has endorsed them, they could do anything.”
He added that CAN’s view on Muslim-Muslim tickets is unchangeable and it is undeniable that CAN does not participate in Shettima’s unveiling program.
“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 question the cause of the desperation. First, a rumor that the Chairman of CAN Borno state had released was debunked. The second deception was that BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) and his running companion were going to meet the president of CAN one evening. The CAN President was in Alabama, USA, attending the Baptist World Alliance Conference, of which he is the Vice President, on the night of the meeting, which was untrue.
That they met Papa Adeboye was another desperate claim, which the RCCG later disputed.
“If Christians are not important, why the desperation?” He asked.
He added that CAN recognizes that since we live in a democracy, there is no need to act absurdly or questionably to make a point because those actions will ultimately backfire. The BAT team should just act morally and put an end to the commotion.
