Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) has warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to stop using monetary incentives to cause division among Christians.
The chairman of NOSCEF, Engr Oyinehi Ejoga Inalegwu gave the warning yesterday in a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna.
“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.
“We warn APC to stop using monetary incentives to recruit and cause divisions amongst the Christians, especially in the North”.
The group recalled that, “In 2011, Bola Ahmed Tinubu sought Muslim -Muslim Ticket withAtiku Abubakar and it was rejected.
“In 2015, he 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,” NOSCEF said.
“We warned that every patriotic Presidential aspirant should avoid the same faith ticket to avoid polarisation of the nation further along religious lines.
“Before the Commencement of the primaries, NOSCEF again warned presidential aspirants against the one faith ticket in the country begging for unity, inclusiveness, fairness and justice.
“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,” the statement said.
The Christian elders expressed dismay over the show of shame the ruling party is involved in, following desperate efforts to attract public goodwill and acceptance, by engaging strange Christian groups for endorsement purposes, the statement said.
“We frown at the publicity they use to their advantage, to make public ridicule of Christian bodies, particularly in the North, for the purpose of causing disaffection, just to win election.
“We all know as Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths that unity, fairness, justice and inclusiveness will engender National progress, rather than the war of divisive religious political game, intended through the instrumentation of the same faith ticket.
“Christian and Muslim faithful should disappoint divisive self-seeking politicians, who want to capitalise on our religious differences to gain political power”.
NOSCEF pleaded that things should not get to that 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,” he said.
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