APC Trying to Cause Division among Christians, Northern Elders’ Group Alleges

•Urges Nigerians to reject politicians using religion to grab power

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF), has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly resorting to clandestine ways to cause division among Christians, especially in the north, in an attempt to counter the stance of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The body also called on Nigerians to the reject divisive and self-seeking politicians, who want to capitalise on religious differences to gain political power.

In a statement yesterday issued in Kaduna, the Chairman of NOSCEF, Mr. Ejoga Inalegwu, asked the APC to stop using monetary incentives to recruit people to cause division among Christians.

Inalegwu also called on Christians to be circumspect and vigilante with the antics of desperate politicians and avoid being used to cause disaffection.

He recalled that before the commencement of the presidential primaries, “NOSCEF warned aspirants against the one faith ticket in a country like Nigeria begging for unity, inclusiveness, fairness and justice.”

The statement observed that the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu seems to have a penchant for same faith presidency, recalling that, “In 2011, Bola Ahmed Tinubu sought Muslim -Muslim ticket with Atiku Abubakar and it was rejected.

“In 2015, he (Tinubu) again, sought for a Muslim-Muslim ticket with President Muhammadu Buhari and it was again rejected.

“Both Atiku and Muhammadu Buhari from the north, know that having a Muslim from the south would not have added any electoral advantage.

“In December 2021, Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with a group in Abuja and sold the Muslim-Muslim Ticket.

“We warned that every patriotic Presidential aspirant should avoid same faith ticket to avoid further polarisation of the nation along religious lines.”

Inalegwu, maintained that, “Because there was a long term goal and a purpose to be accomplished, APC went ahead with the single faith venture, with the aim of riding on the wings of divisive religious politics to victory.”

He said, “NOSCEF is concerned that apart from the failure of the desire of the architects of the single faith ticket, to cause serious divisions in the forthcoming elections, APC has resorted to clandestine ways of causing division in the body of Christ, by recruiting hitherto unknown bodies in the Body of Christ to counter decisions taken by the umbrella body, CAN and its various organs.”

NOSCEF, warned the APC, “to stop using monetary incentives to recruit and cause divisions amongst the Christians, especially in the north.”

The statement also, “frowned at the publicity the APC uses to its advantage, to make public ridicule of Christian bodies, particularly in the north, for the purpose of causing disaffection, just to win election.”

The NOSCEF chairman said, Christians, “Muslims and people of other faiths, know that unity, fairness, justice and inclusiveness will engender national progress, rather than the war of divisive religious political game, intended through the instrumentation of same faith ticket.”

He called on Christian and Muslim faithful to, “disappoint divisive, self-seeking politicians, who want to capitalise on our religious differences to gain political power.”

“NOSCEF has pleaded that we should not get to this stage and those who are responsible, should take responsibility, rather than causing more divisions, for the mere purpose of winning an election.

“The Church is called upon to be circumspect, vigilante with the antics of politicians. Don’t sell the church and don’t be used to cause disaffection, remember that earthly position and wealth mean nothing before the Almighty, before Whom, we will stand.

“Pray earnestly for a peaceful campaign and election”, Inalegwu urged.