Abolaji Adebayo
After a long time of expectation, the Christians across Lagos State under the umbrella of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have unveiled their choice of presidential candidate, stating the reasons they are aligning with the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and governorship candidate of the same party in Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Initially, there was no assurance on the CAN’s stand in Lagos State as the national body of the association was not in a particular direction.
However, the Lagos Chapter of the association has said it is supporting APC in Lagos State and at the Federal level.
Sources in the Lagos Chapter of CAN said the body is fully supporting APC at the federal level and Lagos State. They said there are many convincing factors that make every Christian in Lagos to support Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his second term in office.
“Apart from the antecedents of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu which we can all see in Lagos State, we are totally convinced that Tinubu is the only person who can become the President of this country and everybody will be happy irrespective of tribe, religion, social affiliation and or academic level.
‘I as a person, despite being a Christian, I have benefited from his largesse times without number and I still enjoy his magnanimity till today. I am not a politician, I’m a Christian living in Lagos but Tinubu has never discriminated against anybody.
“Indeed, his personality is totally different from other contenders. For us at CAN, we are supporting Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu in 2023. Sanwo-Olu has proven to be reliable, his achievement within his first four years in office has endeared him to many of us…He has done beyond anyone’s expectation. We Christians in Lagos are proud of him and we are ready to make sure he returns to the governorship seat in 2023,” one of the top members of Lagos CAN said.
Another person said: “When he never knew that he would come for this position, he was there for people, and that is a great lesson. Wherever we are, whenever, let’s us do good for people as if we are not going to have a second chance. We shall pray for Asiwaju and Lagos State so that all APC candidates will be successful at poll.
“For Lagos State, we can all see what Governor Sanwo-Olu is doing. We don’t have any option than to support him to go for the second time.”
The Christians said Tinubu have been a listening leader as he hearkened to their demand for a Christian governor when he brought former Governor Akinwumi Ambode and later Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to them, they demanded and Tinubu supported their demand and has also continued to support them.
“The issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket does not hold water. Tinubu has been part of Christianity; his wife and son are Christians and he never discriminate against them for once, so, there is no issue on that.
Meanwhile, last week, the All Progressive Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), Lagos State chapter, engaged the Christian leaders in the state to sensitize them on the need for them to support the party during the 2023 general elections.
The Directorate of Religion Affairs of the council, yesterday, gathered the members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State to explain to them the reason they should support the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The party also sought their support for the reelection of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other APC candidates.
The parley which held at the premises of Lagos State television, on Thursday had in attendance leaders of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and its five blocs, 57 Coordinators at the local level, as well as religious Non-Governmental Organizations.
According the Director General, Lagos APC-PCC Directorate of Religion Affairs, Chief Oyinlomo Danmole, the meeting was in furtherance of its task to meet with the religion leaders in order to secure their support and votes for the party’s candidates.
Danmole, who is the former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, said: “The assignment given to us is to sensitize and engage the Christian and Muslim communities to call for their supports. What we are doing today is the starting point. We have series of other meetings. But before we go further, the first is to talk to the leadership. The CAN Leaders, bloc leaders, the local government coordinators and the NGOs.”
He added that the party is confident of their support but the meeting was also pertinent to ensure that Lagos is not distracted with national issues especially the Muslim-Muslim Sentiment.
“We know from the meeting of today that they (Christian Leaders) are happy that we have not taken them for granted. Though we know In Lagos whether you’re Christian or Muslim, everyone believes in APC but the problem we have is that the national is trying to distract the people of Lagos and one thing we are sure of is to tell our people to talk to ourselves that the man whom we are trying to work for – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu – was the governor of Lagos in 1999 who laid the good foundation for the good governance we are all enjoying in Lagos today. He did the blueprint for 20 years and that is what every governor that comes in is following as you too can see what’s going on in Lagos.”
He stated that the engagement will be taken to the grassroots to get closer to the people at the lower cadre of the community, added that the Muslim community as well as the traditional leaders will not be left out in the parley.
The Party Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, assured the Christian Leaders that the party will sustain the robust relationship with the religion community and keep up with its track record of good governance when elected.
Ojelabi who was represented by the Vice Chairman, East, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, urged the religious leaders to spread the gospel of Tinubu and other APC candidates’ aspiration to their members and see to the party’s victory in 2023.
Also speaking, the former Lagos Commissioner for Public Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, disabused the minds of the Christians of the religious sentiments, reiterating that Tinubu and Shetima do not discriminate.
He said: “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as an individual, in combination with Kashim Shettima represents what Nigeria needs. What we need at this time is not whether somebody is a Muslim or Christian but somebody to deliver Nigeria. Somebody to deliver good governance and bring out to spotlight things that will make us realize that we are one.
“Tinubu has demonstrated that religion though important to build souls and minds, shall not be the determining factor in the way he will run the government. I mean it should not be a discriminatory issue.”
Responding, the CAN Chairman, Bishop Dr. Stephen Adegbite, confirmed that APC is the first of all political parties in the 2023 race to engage the religious body as it commended the party for the sense of belonging.
Adegbite explained that the state chapter of the religious body is not concerned with the religious sentiment rather the track records of the candidates in the presidential race.
“Whether you’re a Christian or a Muslim we want good governance we don’t mind whoever occupies the office. Let there be good governance in Nigeria. Let us look into people’s track record, what they’ve done in the past. What they will do if they are given bigger opportunity and that is why for us in Lagos State the last 23 years have been wonderful. It’s been devoid of sentiment. People that have worked in the state house have delivered. We can see the dividend of democracy in Lagos.
“Let us focus on good governance and forget about sentiment. Whether you’re Christian or a Muslim you must ensure that you deliver the dividend of democracy this time around. That is what we are up for an whoever emerges must do that for us if not we will come back to press, we will criticize and if you so well, we will praise too and pray for you.
“What we know is that there is peace in Lagos because there is tolerance, cooperation, there is understanding, there is mutual relations between the Muslims and the Christians and there is appreciation of one another from 1999 and that is why Lagos is peaceful. The Muslims and Christians are one in Lagos and nobody can divide us; politics cannot divide us because there is no family you go to that you will not find both Christians and Muslims.
“So, how do you think I will go to my family and be fighting with them? It isn’t possible and that is the message we are preaching to the world today especially Nigerians that we can live together for greater Lagos, for greater Nigeria. It has happened in Lagos for the past 23 years, it can also happen in Nigeria if we understand one another. It is God that determines who rules and when God has chosen every other person becomes a noise maker.
“For us in Lagos, religion is not a barrier and will not cause division among us. We want the best for this nation and we go for the best by the special grace of God. In Lagos State, Christian community has never been relegated to the background.
“Any time we have challenges we go to them and we would tell them this is what we want and most of the time whatever we demand we get it. It was our demand that brought Governor Ambode to government, we said it and it was agreed that Christian should rule Lagos State. A Muslim did not succeed him, it was another Christian in person of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
He added that the religious leaders will not fail in their primary duties of praying for the country as he warned false prophets against evil predictions, saying none will come to past.
Meanwhile, members of the Association have demanded good governance, better welfare package, infrastructures, improved security, job creation and others from the incoming Nigerian president.
