The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, has disowned the clerics who attended the official unveiling of Kashim Shettima as Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in Abuja.
Variety of Christian leaders, dressed in numerous cassocks, belonging completely different denominations were seen present at the Unveiling on Wednesday despite CAN’s position on Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Tinubu, had on July 10 in Daura, Katsina State, named Shettima, a former Borno State governor and serving senator, as his running mate.
CAN spokesperson, Bayo Oladeji, in a cellphone interview with Premium times described all of the monks at the venue as ‘faux’.
He accused the Tinubu campaign Organisation of constantly peddling lies to justify the selection of Shettima.
“They’re faux. They don’t seem to be our members CAN was not represented there.
“Anyone can put on a cassock, anyone can purchase it out there and declare to be something.
Also in an interview, Kaduna state CAN chairman, Rev. John Joseph Hayab explained that Christians in the country would not lose sleep following the Tinubu/Shettima presidential ticket in next year’s election in the country.
According to Rev. Hayab, who is also the CAN chairman of 19 Northern states and FCT,
“The people we saw at the unveiling of Shettima as the presidential running mate to Bola Tinubu paraded as bishops are people who did not have enough time to learn how to wear bishop garments.
” Take a closer look at their photos and you will see another Nollywood movie.”
According to Rev. Hayab, CAN wondered why the desperation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying that firstly, there was a story claiming to have come from the Chairman of CAN Borno State identifying with Kashim Shettima, only for the story to be refuted by the same source.
Rev. Hayab observed that there was another lie that Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate were on their way to meet CAN president one night, stressing that Christians in the country remain focused in conducting themselves in accordance with the laid down constitution of the country by casting their votes for a credible candidate in the 2023 general elections.
He explained, “A meeting that was not true and was on a night that the CAN president was in Alabama USA attending the Baptist World Alliance Conference of which he is the Vice President.”
CAN noted that it was alleged that the APC presidential candidate met with Papa Adeboye, which the RCCG later refuted, saying that there is nothing in it but an act of desperation in the story that they met Papa Adeboye.
Rev. Hayab said, “CAN appreciates that we are in a democracy, no need to do funny and dubious things just to prove a point because it will at the end bounce back.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s team should simply do what is right and stop the drama. Because of desperation, the hired bishops took the shine of the occasion more than the candidate that was unveiled, what an irony.”
He called on Nigerians to ensure they vote credible candidates in the 2023 general elections, saying that it is the only way the country could be restored and take its place in the community of nations
