MARCH 11: Controversy, as APC’s Sanwo-Olu becomes ‘Christian candidate’ in Lagos

*Issues beyond Sanwo-Olu endorsement is CAN’s weaponisation of religion in Nigerian politics

By KEMI KASUMU

“All those anti-Islamic tendencies and anti-Muslim moves were hurled on the ground of Lagos State because of the influence of CAN, who is now supporting Sanwo-Olu because he is a Christian. So that what will happen thereafter? So that they will now use the fact of their endorsement to return to persecution of Muslims again.”

After its failed alleged plot to make Nigeria a Christian State through the ballot in the last presidential election, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is said to have returned to the drawing table, this time, with candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whom it has now endorsed for second term as Governor of the state.

Speaking during a press conference at the Chapel of Christ The Light in Ikeja, the Chairman of the Association, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, said that Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat have performed excellently well in the state.

He said, “We would like to inform the residents of Lagos State that the Christian Association of Nigeria in Lagos and the Christian community in the state are throwing our weight solidly behind the candidacy of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and is deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat for a second term in office.

“Let me say that this endorsement is based primarily on one thing, performance, and nothing else.

“His achievements in the critical sectors of the economy of the state are endearing, and we are convinced that they need to be sustained.”

Issues beyond endorsement

The DEFENDER reports that the extent to which Christian Association of Nigeria had gone in using influence on government in South West Nigeria was why 12-year-old Muslim schoolgirl in Hijab was personally flogged and disgraced on assembly ground by a ‘religious fanatic in position of principal’ in a Lagos school and nothing happened, media accounts have shown.

We also gathered that, but the 2023 politics that came around the corner, due to influence of CAN, Governor Sanwo-Olu refused to issue circular to Lagos State schools’ principals and other educational authorities in the nation’s most complex state for the implementation of Supreme Court judgement approving the use of Hijab by Muslim female students in the state’s schools.

We have on good accounts that it took the Muslim Rights Concerns (MURIC) to issue several press statements urging Sanwo-Olu to obey the Supreme Court by implementing its judgement on the use Hijab, but to no avail.

Governor Sanwo-Olu failed to allow the rights of Hijab, despite all appeals to him, until it was time for election campaign and for him to get a second term, we learnt, he then hurriedly issued the circular directing relevant authorities in the education sector to implement what ordinarily needed no court order before a government that is for all gives such approval.

It can also be recalled that under Sanwo-Olu’s watch, Christian doctrine and subjects were used and included in the examination processes for common entrance sat for many Muslim students and civil servants promotions examination also involving Muslim civil servants in Lagos State all of which, despite cries by Muslim bodies, nothing happened.

A respondent, who reacted to the Christian Association of Nigeria’s endorsement of the incumbent Lagos State Governor on Monday, said:

“All those anti-Islamic tendencies and anti-Muslim moves were hurled on the ground of Lagos State because of the influence of CAN, who is now supporting Sanwo-Olu because he is a Christian. So that what will happen thereafter? So that they will now use the fact of their endorsement to return to persecution of Muslims again,” the respondent, who simply identified himself as ‘servant of Allah’, said.

Another respondent, who also did not want his name in print, said, “Sadly, this Christian Association of Nigeria has successfully weaponised religion in the Nigeria’s politics but, sadly again, they are the same people who come out pretending that we Muslims are the problem.

“CAN at any level always seeks political power, not to achieve anything but, to reign persecutions on Muslims. That is the purpose of CAN, that is why you see religious crisis in Nigeria and that is why they will stop at nothing in causing provocations so that Muslims will fight and then, they will turn around, to accuse them of intolerance.

“We thank Allah that Northerners are part of the Nigerian entity, only Allah knows what the Christian Church, if handed political power, would have subjected Nigerian Muslims to.

“The hijacking of Amotekun recruitment process into the church, requiring attestation letter from only church priest and readiness of CAN to support idol worshippers in issues against Muslims are, in all honesty, a good example of why allowing them get political power in Lagos or anywhere in the country is dangerous not only for the Muslims but also the entire country because, it will be a pathway to chaos,” he said.