Nigerian Christian Entity Distances “itself from unveiling of Vice-presidential candidate”

“We are shocked, disappointed and worried about the desperation of some politicians who once claimed Christians do not matter in governance and politics who went to hire some unknown ‘Bishops, Pastors and Priests’ to impersonate the leadership of CAN in their political meeting,” they say in their statement titled, “No CAN Official Attended Shettima’s Unveiling.”

The impersonation, CAN officials say, “is totally unacceptable, reprehensible, unprecedented and ungodly.”

“If they are saying Christians have no electoral values, why impersonate them in their meetings?” the representatives of Christian leaders in Nigeria pose in their July 21 statement.

They say that they are “throwing  their principals and sponsors into the court of conscience.”

“These actions of theirs have shown who they are to the public and what they are capable of doing to us all,” CAN officials further say in reference to church leaders who reportedly were part of the political meeting that endorsed the APC vice-presidential candidate. 

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The representatives of Christian leaders in Nigeria further urge political parties “not to ignore religious sensibilities and sensibilities of the people especially in today’s Nigeria when Christians are becoming endangered species daily.”

“Our quest is within the constitutional requirements and ignoring it is akin to trampling on the Constitution, especially the Federal Character Act,” they say.

In the fullness of time, CAN members further say that they “will direct our members nationwide on how to use their PVCs come 2023.”

The reaction of CAN leadership comes a week after the Archdiocese of Abuja debunked News reports alleging that Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama had endorsed the APC vice-presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.