The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has expressed its pleasant surprise at what it refers to as the inclusive governance exhibited by President Bola Tinubu despite running a Muslim-Muslim ticket where he and Vice President Kashim Shetimma are of the same faith.
Chairman of the Northern CAN, Reverend Yakubu Pam, who gave this thumps up to Tinubu in an interview with journalists after a meeting of its National Executive Committee in Kaduna on Saturday, lauded the inclusive governance of the current administration which he said has been brought to bear irrespective of ethno-religious differences which has overshadowed the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the Presidency.
Pam said though it would have been good to have a Christian as the number two citizen for balancing between the two major religions in the country, Tinubu’s appointment of Christians into key government positions has shown that he has respect for other religions.
“For me, the most important thing is a government that is inclusive and as far as they have done Muslim-Muslim ticket, we have also seen reasonable inclusiveness,” Pam said.
“Left for us, we will say yes, let’s have Christians in certain positions like Vice President and other positions to reflect our diversity, but the Presidency will be good to bring a Christian as number two. We will appreciate it; there is nothing wrong with that. Whatever way the important thing is that insecurity should be tackled.”
Speaking on insecurity that has dogged the northern region for years, the CAN Chairman commended the Tinubu-led government on its efforts in tackling the malaise.
“We know the desire of people is to see that insecurity is addressed so that they can go about their normal daily activities without fear. This is already happening; we want the government to declare a complete state of emergency on the issue of insecurity.
“We may have a Christian there and killings may still be going on, but it is something we still pray for.
“The performance of the current administration is going on a little bit better, but we want them to do more. There are pockets of things here and there that should be addressed; the situation is not as bad like the previous years where there were bombings.
“I think the major challenge now is hunger. People are really, really suffering. Prices of commodities are crazy. That is what we are crying for now. But the President has said that with time… I believe, let’s see how it goes.
“While we celebrate unity and religious harmony, we cannot overlook the significant challenges facing Christians and the general population in Northern Nigeria.
“Christians in some states still face challenges in acquiring land for church buildings, as well as marginalization in political appointments and access to opportunities.
“The rising cost of living and limited economic opportunities have left many struggling to survive, particularly in the face of insecurity and displacement.
“We appreciate the efforts made by Mr. President and his administration to address these issues, but we appeal for greater intervention to restore peace and stability in Northern Nigeria,” he added.