Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Wednesday, called for the sacking of the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Lagos State, Stephen Adegbite, over his endorsement of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, Bola Tinubu.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, called on CAN National President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, and other leading members of the Christian body to expunge Adegbite immediately as he has openly opposed the stance of CAN on the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling APC.
The group said Adegbite committed gross violations of the code of conduct of his office, abuse of power, and insubordination of superior authority at the CAN national centre in Abuja by going to the public to endorse Tinubu all for stomach politics.
HURIWA recalled that CAN, in September 2021, suspended the then Gombe State Caretaker chairman, Rev. Sunday Congo, for writing a congratulatory letter to the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, without the approval of the association’s National Executive Committee.
The group asserted that disciplinary measures must be maintained and enforced with more strictness towards the 2023 elections as desperate politicians and proponents of APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket are trying to buy over some CAN members and break the ranks of the body, and sabotage Christians for the next four years.
Commenting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Lagos State, Stephen Adegbite, must be removed with immediate effect for compromise and for acting in flagrant contravention of the stance of the national body of the Christian body.
“Adegbite’s defense that his endorsement of Tinubu is based on his “wonderful relationship” with the former Lagos State governor and that his approval of Tinubu is in a personal capacity is total nonsense and should be told to his sabotaging lots who masquerade as believers yet serve their stomachs and not the interest of Christians.
“HURIWA called on CAN National President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, to impeach Adegbite and inaugurate a leader who is aligned with the position of Christians collectively. Adegbite can’t address the press as CAN and return to say it was personal. In any case, both excuses are inexcusable!
“HURIWA’s position on APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket is sacrosanct and unchanging. The permutation is a slap on millions of Christians in the country and an insult.”
HURIWA, alongside CAN, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, and well-meaning Christians, doggedly reject APC candidate and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, who has been identified as an extremist like Pantami.
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