The Christian Association of Nigeria has flayed the Sultan of Sokoto,
Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, for saying Muslims are marginalised in the
composition of delegates at the ongoing national conference.
The association said the monarch was bent on polarising the country
along religious lines.
The Sultan had on Wednesday led some prominent Muslims to the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, to protest before President Goodluck Jonathan.
Abubakar, who is the Chairman, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic
Affairs and the Islamic leaders, specifically, faulted the composition of the
national conference, saying it was skewed against Muslims.
The monarch met with Jonathan in company with the Secretary-General,
NSCIA, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede; the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn-Garbai; a
former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Lawal Uwais; and a former Head of Service of
the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed.
Speaking to our correspondent on Friday, the Secretary-General, CAN,
Rev. Musa Asake, however said the protest was a plot to frustrate the ongoing
conference.
He said, “The JNI had a press conference where they said Christians are
52 per cent at the conference while we are just 40 per cent of the country’s
population. I responded immediately. I don’t understand what the Sultan is up
to.
“Is the conference on religious basis? We are going to respond because
they are trying to divide this country and create a big problem. Let the whole
world know that the Sultan and his people are trying to make sure that this
national conference does not take place.
“They kicked against it and they did not succeed. Now, they are creating
a problem for the country and I don’t know whether the President is listening
to them or not. Whatever it is, this is not a religious matter; this is a
Nigerian matter.”
Asake stated it was also wrong to conclude that the allegation of
marginalisation was by the North against the South.
He added, “I am from the North, I am a Christian, but they don’t count
me. I occupy a very sensitive position in the country as the CAN General
Secretary, I would have thought that when they are fighting for the cause of
the North, I would be consulted and mobilised as a northerner.
“Why are they not dealing with Christians? Whenever they are discussing
anything about the North, why are Christians not included? The North is not
Islamic; that is the lie they are trying to tell. Who made them leaders over
us? I am a northerner, when did we make them leaders?”
He noted that both Muslims and Christians were given six delegate slots
each.
The apex body of Muslims in the North, the Jama’atul Nasril Islam, had
on March 19, 2014, accused the Jonathan-led administration of pursuing a hidden
agenda over its “insistence” on convening and conducting the confab.
The Secretary-General of the Abubakar-led JNI, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, had
alleged that Muslims were short-changed in the selection of delegates to the
confab.
He said the process of selection of delegates negated
the spirit of democracy as majority of delegates to the conference were
Christians.
According to Aliyu, 52 per cent of delegates to the conference are
Christians, while Moslems share the remaining percentage with other religions.
Good response
ReplyDeleteI don't knw why respected Nigerians will be acting this way. Hw can well educated & exposed persons like Uwais, Sultan etc stage this kind of protest. Is this not what is causing the problem in our country? Religious divide.Moslems & Christains were given 6 delegates each but now the moslem group are claiming marginalised. Every gro-political zone were given fair representation so if some of there delegates in there zone are non-moslem, does that make them non northerners? Our elders pls lead us right.Enough of this religious divide.
ReplyDeleteMy main poblem with you guys is lack of true information, u are always misinformed by your people. If you don`t know Muslim constitute 60%, Christain 35%, Others 5% this is the division, are we not in Democracy where majority cary the vote?
DeleteWhat is arabic inscriptions doing on our currency? Is that our official language? Who made them leaders. They don't have the interest of nigeria at heart. They will never see anything Gd in this govt since the pesident is not from their place. They are fanatics, is it religious conference or national conference?
ReplyDeleteWhat is arabic inscriptions doing on our currency? Is that our official language? Who made them leaders. They don't have the interest of nigeria at heart. They will never see anything Gd in this govt since the pesident is not from their place. They are fanatics, is it religious conference or national conference?
ReplyDeleteWho told you that? You always hate Notherners while forgetting they are your Masters. Well the statistic given by a comentator speaks the ovious reality. In fact even the 30% given is an amplified figure, the actual is less. You are not doing justice to yourself, but time will tell.
ReplyDeleteThe basis of selecting delegates to the Natiobal Confab is not about the population of Muslems and Christians. Notherners shouls know this. They should also know that the aim of the Confab is not to showcase Moslem or Christians but to find solutions to Nigerian problems. Ethnicity and religious jingoism should not always becloud their common sense of reseaning.
ReplyDeleteSultan of sokoto told the truth .you can not point a time that he talked as this . He sees showing of diffrences between muslims and chiristains that this government of GEJ is doing is going worst.you can agree with me since nothing like this in the tenure of former president Olu shegun Obasanjo.Obasanjo is a good man that he is not showing diffrence between the religions
ReplyDelete