The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied claims that it had a contract with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, several Nigerians, especially CAN, had criticized Tinubu and the APC for selecting a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the general elections in 2023.
As his running partner, Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno State, was chosen by Tinubu in a contentious decision that drew criticism.
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According to reports that surfaced on Monday, Tinubu discussed the Muslim-Muslim ticket problem with the CAN leadership.
However, the organization claimed it had not reached an understanding with Bola Tinubu in a statement titled “Muslim-Muslim Ticket: CAN Maintains its Position” and signed by Luminous Jannamike, Special Assistant on Media to CAN leadership.
The controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket continues to be opposed, according to CAN.
Additionally, it was said that Tinubu’s attendance and donation at the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah’s 70th birthday celebration last week, should not be interpreted as a monetary bribe intended to appease the Christian community.
The statement partly read, “The attention of the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria has been drawn to a media report titled, ‘How Tinubu met, resolved Muslim-Muslim ticket with CAN’, which claimed that the apex Christian body had changed its position regarding the same faith ticket.
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“To say the least, the story is ridiculous, malicious, untrue and should be disregarded in its entirety by all reasonable members of the society.
“For the records, CAN took a position against the same faith ticket imbroglio under the leadership of Rev. Dr Samson Ayokunle, its immediate past national president and as a matter of fact, His Eminence Archbishop Daniel Okoh, stands on that same position.”
At Kukah’s birthday party in Abuja, the nation’s capital, CAN chastised those attempting to use Tinubu’s attendance as political capital.
The Kukah Centre, which is intended to be a genuine platform for disseminating and promoting the ideas of democracy, was built with donations from friends of Bishop Kukah and other kind-hearted Nigerians, according to the statement that said the event was open to the public.
The group emphasized that Tinubu’s donation had nothing to do with CAN and that it is malicious for anyone to suggest that it was some kind of payment for Christian leaders to change their minds about supporting the same-faith ticket.
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CAN said: “For the umpteenth time, the CAN reiterates that it is non-partisan, but remains willing to partner with all leaders and other relevant stakeholders towards achieving unity, peace and progress in our nation.”
The Christian organization declared that while it does not always agree with the decisions made by politicians and political parties, it respects their right to come to decisions on matters that have an impact on their electoral prospects as long as they adhere to the terms of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act (2022).
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