The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of distancing itself from reality and living in self-denial over its denial of the “clerics” who were present at the unveiling of Kashim Shettima as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Professor Ishaq Akintola, the director of the Islamic rights organisation, said in a statement that checks showed that the clerics were genuine.
The statement said: “Despite the brouhaha over the Muslim-Muslim ticket of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, many bishops and pastors attended the unveiling of the vice presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, 20th July, 2022 at the Shehu Musa Yaradua Centre, Abuja.
“In its own reaction, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday described the bishops and pastors who attended the event as fake clerics. The Vice President of CAN in the19 Northern States and Abuja who also doubles as chairman in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said Tinubu was free to ‘hire mechanics and other artisans and sew clerical garments for them.’
MURIC said an online medium had done a fact check and confirmed the clerics to be genuine.
“Going by the findings contained in this fact check, it is now very clear that leaders of CAN have distanced themselves from reality. They are living both in self-denial and self-delusion. They are pulling their followers by the nose. How low can a religious body descend? What does CAN stand to gain by deceiving its followers?
“Investigations have revealed the identities of many of the bishops whom Rev Hayab tagged ‘mechanics and artisans’. Three of these were : Bishop Kamoru who is from Lagos, a real cleric from Peace Chapel, Mararaba. A picture has emerged where he was seen conducting a wedding in the church and some of his members have come up to say that they knew him personally.Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, of Gkoko Catholic Diocese, Benue State. was also among the clerics whom CAN called fake. Father Alia is also the APC Governorship candidate in Benue. Pastor Prince Ugokwe, also confirmed that he is a real pastor and not fake.
“The identities of all the Christian clerics who attended the event have been revealed and none is fake. It is crystal clear from the above that CAN is not to be trusted. CAN disowns its own members who are not ordinary Christians but knowledgeable bishops and pastors. This shows that a caucus within the leadership of CAN has unleashed tyranny of the oligarchy on Christendom in Nigeria.
“The fact that several bishops and pastors dared CAN by attending the unveiling of the APC running mate in spite of directives by the umbrella Christian body to the contrary is also symptomatic of the hypocrisy and ineffectiveness of CAN’s noise over the Muslim-Muslim ticket. It is a toothless bulldog. CAN is long in rhetorics, short in facts. It also proves that serious-minded and knowledgeable Christians who can differentiate between right and wrong no longer follow CAN’s instructions,” the group said.