The Presidency, through its spokesman, Femi Adesina, has lashed out at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), asking the body to stop acting like an opposition party.
The presidency had reacted to the accusation levied by CAN against the Buhari led administration, saying that the government aided the beheading of CAN cleric by Boko Haram insurgent group.
Chairman of CAN in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa, Rev Lawan Andimi was beheaded by Boko Haram Insurgent group after days of abduction. According to CAN, the federal government fostered the continuous attacks of Christians in the Northern parts of Nigeria.
In response to the accusations, Femi Adesina stated that CAN was fueling unruly assumptions about Presidential Muhammadu Buhari and driving divisive narrative.
Adesina who disclosed this in a statement released on his weekly column titled From The Inside said,
“If any purging is to be done, is it not by those making allegations? The allegations lasted for many years, but truth eventually overtook them.
“If CAN would then still dwell on the discredited accusations, it must be the one to purge itself, as millions of Nigerians, including Christians, have already done. The insecurity in the country is not about any religion. It is pure evil, from the pit of hell.”
“And then: …purge himself of the allegations…by reconstituting the leadership of the security forces. CAN, oh CAN, in a condolence statement?
“Are you saying under a different leadership of our security forces, insurgency will vanish after they wave their fingers? Why mix the wheat and chaff together?
“In the leadership of the security forces as we have it now, is the position of Chief of Defence Staff not held by General Abayomi Olonisakin, who is also a pastor? Is he not a member of CAN? Is the Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ekwe-Ibas, not a Christian, and under the banner of CAN?
“Listening to the organisation, you would think not even half a Christian is in the leadership of the security forces. This kind of sentiment breeds hatred and malice in a country, and CAN should not be involved in such, for Jesus would not do it. And we’ve been called to walk in His steps.
“If the leadership of the security forces would be changed, it is a sitting President that has the prerogative. It will not happen when CAN begins to make such demand in what should be a sober condolence press statement. Don’t mix bias and sympathy. They don’t mesh.”
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“CAN says kidnappings and killings are shameful to a government that boasts that it has conquered insurgency. Boasts. So that is all that matters to CAN, as if it was an opposition political party? Boasts. No.
“This would not augur for unity and cohesion in a country. We are not asking the Christian body to be in bed with government, that would not help anybody, but the organization has been sounding too long like a political party. We daily learn to walk with Jesus.”