The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has explained that the interactive session it had with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu was borne out of the need to come together to review their understanding of the Nigerian crisis of development and governance and find a lasting solution collectively.
In his address, the President of CAN, His Eminence, Most Rev.Daniel Okoh pointed out that as an association of Christian citizens who believe in Nigeria and continue to pray for its unity, peace, and prosperity, they had spent time reviewing the problems that hinder peace and progress in the country and are hereby making suggestions on how best to improve them.
Okoh asserted that the organisation has consulted with Nigerians of diverse religious, ethnic, and social identities on the country’s problems, and the solutions to them have been articulated in the strategic document, the Charter for Future Nigeria.
The CAN leader further noted that the charter for the country’s future starts with diagnosing its problem and locating it primarily. The organisation also released a policy document containing its expectations for politicians ahead of the elections.
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‘This incoherence is the main reason that the country today is almost submerged in the chaos of insecurity, instability, and economic stagnation. The document considers this incoherence in political, social, and economic dimensions,’ Okoh said during the interactive meeting with the presidential candidate of APC, Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday.
‘The document makes genuine recommendations for resolving Nigeria’s recurrent crises that border on justice and fairness, equality of all ethnic and religious groups, equal access to basic economic and social rights, political freedom and an egalitarian and just social order.’
According to him, the well-being of every citizen of the country, irrespective of their religion, ethnicity or social pedigree, should be paramount in the agenda of politicians seeking public offices.
Okoh said that it is a concern for the CAN that presidential and other candidates in various political positions understand the concerns of Christians in the country.
Addressing the Christian body, the ruling party’s presidential candidate, Tinubu, said he believes all Nigerians are equal and are brothers and sisters, which means that no one is inherently inferior or superior to anyone else.
He said anyone who thinks otherwise about the equality of the citizens regardless of faith, place of origin, or social status should not bother about becoming a President.
On his decision to take a former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima as his running mate, Tinubu said he did not choose him so that they could form a same-faith ticket, adding that the ticket was constructed as a same-progressive and people-based ideology ticket.