Stop inducing, dividing Christians, Northern elders advise APC, Tinubu

The Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NORSCEF) has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to allegedly stop inducing faithful and causing disaffection within the faith in their bid to retain power.

The warning, which is contained in a statement issued by NOSCEF chairman, Oyinehi Ejoga Inalegwu, yesterday, said “desperation of politicians, especially of the ruling party” aimed at reportedly influencing the electorate and cause division among Christians.

He said: “NORSCEF 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, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and its various organs.

“We warn APC to stop using monetary incentives to recruit and cause divisions among Christians, especially in the North.”
The group also recalled that, “In 2011, Bola Ahmed Tinubu sought Muslim -Muslim Ticket with Atiku 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 Buhari from the North, know that having a Muslim from the South would not have added any electoral advantage.”
NORSCEF pointed out that in December 2021, “Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with a group in Abuja and sold the Muslim-Muslim ticket.”

It continued: “We warned that every patriotic presidential aspirant should avoid same faith ticket to avoid polarisation of the nation further along religious lines.

“Before commencement of the primaries, NORSCEF again warned presidential aspirants against the one faith ticket in a Nigeria 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 leaders deplore 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.”

Inalegwu added: “We frown on 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.”