The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
has insisted that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was instigating
Christians to vote against President Buhari or any Muslim presidential
candidate in 2019.
MURIC, in a statement Thursday,
said it stood by its earlier position that CAN also advised Christians against
voting for politicians practising Islam.
Its Director, Prof. Ishaq
Akintola, warned CAN leaders not to set Nigeria on fire through its “hate speeches”.
He said: “We are not convinced by
CAN’s denial though its denial did not surprise us. It is only natural. Yet in
spite of the denial, Nigerians know that CAN’s body language speaks volumes.
Its hate speeches are legend. Its bitter expressions underline its frustration.
CAN is desperate to install a Christian president in Nigeria.
“Can CAN deny calling on all
churches to pray for Christian victory in the wake of the Benue killings?
Nigerian churches were told to spend the whole of Sunday January 7, 2019
praying for victory for Christians. The directive was issued by CAN in its
January 5 press statement.
“That directive naturally caught
our attention and we monitored the manner the prayers were offered in some
Nigerian cities. We heard more curses than prayers in some noisy churches.
While some prayed for victory for Christians, most churches rained abuses,
invectives and curses on the Buhari administration. It was more of hysteria
than the atmosphere of serenity required in places of worship. CAN has stirred
up emotions in Nigerian churches.
“Can CAN also deny that it has
openly directed Christians all over the country to go into politics? CAN openly
gave that instruction on 19th January, 2018. What assurance do we have that
there was no hidden message in that directive? What assurance do we have that
there were no other secret messages sent round after the public directive? Who
is a fool?
“If religion is a private affair,
why is CAN always interfering in the privacies of its followers. Why must they
be directed in a matter unrelated to religion? Religion is a private matter
when it pleases CAN but it is a public affair when it suits the umbrella
Christian body. As far as CAN is concerned, Christians are free to organize
themselves publicly but Muslims must never be allowed to come together publicly
to organize their affairs. Such double standard is, to say the least,
disgusting.
“Can CAN also disown a certain
John B. Damuna who calls himself the Assistant Coordinator of the Christian
Youth Organization of Nigeria Northern chapter? John Damuna in a document in
our possession warns Christians that it would be a disaster if a Christian did
not emerge president in 2019. He claims to be carrying out the directive of
CAN. We are going to be silent about what he said concerning herdsmen and
almajiris in the same document so that we do not stir another crisis.
“CAN should stop deceiving us. It
is more honourable to admit one’s actions and statements. It is no longer
religion when we say one thing and pretend we never did. Let us leave such
antics to politicians. The alternative is to derobe and don the toga of
politics.
“The last time we checked,
ex-Presidents Mathew Okikiola Obasanjo and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan were still
Christians. If it is true that Obasanjo ruled Nigeria for eight good years
(1999 – 2007) and former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was in power for six
years (2010 – 2015), CAN cannot rationalize its present craving for a Christian
president. On what ground? Of the nineteen (19) years of civil rule which began
in 1999, Muslims have only been in power for five (5) years while Christians
have ruled for fourteen (14) years. So what is the rush all about? Turn by
turn, remember?
“As a last shot, we remind
churches and mosques to mind their language as we march towards 2019. Our
places of worship are filled up with leaders and members of all the political
parties. We may be shooting ourselves in the foot if we use our places of
worship to demarket any political party or any political leader. Religious
leaders should rein in their firebrand activists to avoid creating unnecessary
tension. We need peace now more than before.”
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