President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to extend his anti-corruption war to those around him and stop being one-sided.
He asked Buhari to avoid being partial in his anti-corruption crusade, noting that those who brought him to power were not infants.
Ayokunle gave this charge while speaking in Abuja at the 104th Annual session of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) on Friday.
He also called on the government to show sincerity in strengthening the local currency.
According to him, “the siege of economic hardship that has almost crippled the lives of Nigerians and increased the rates of suicide might be lifted. Salaries owed the workers all over the nation must be paid without delay. My Bible says that the wages of the workers must not be delayed overnight.
“Government should be more broad-minded on the issue of the fight against corruption because corruption in Nigeria was not restricted to any particular political party or any religion.
“As President Muhammadu Buhari is outward looking he must be inward looking because the church is against corruption and like the former president of Gambia said, let us chase out corruption like mosquitoes. Let us chase corruption out of our country.
“Government should know that they are not dealing with infants. The people that elected them into office have the right to call them to order and call them to account for all their actions. The executive, legislative and Judiciary are not immune from our questioning and we need to audit them.
“They are responsible by law to all of us either we are at the religious section or circular. Nigeria belongs to all of us and Government must act with transparency and fairness. Otherwise, it will be to your tent oh Israel.
“All must be done in political appointments and in the conduct of government business to reflect Federal Character not only on ethnicity but equally ensuring religious balance. The suspicious of favouritism by the government of one religious group to the detriment of others must be avoided. The more government adheres to these admonitions, the more coherent we would be as people and the greater the peace and development.”
The CAN boss also commiserated with victims of the recent attack in Southern part of Kaduna State where over 13 persons were feared killed.
He accused the Federal Government of not being in control of the situation.
His words: “When there was a clash between the indigenes of lle-Ife and the settlers there, the northerners, government was so swift and active to arrest suspects but the same government with all the same state apparatus has not been able to act decisively on the issue of southern Kaduna.
“When the Federal Government was sometimes accused, it was saying that they were liaising with the governor of Kaduna State, he was the one briefing the president but why didn’t they liaise with the governor of Osun State so that actions might be delayed as it is delayed in the case of Southern Kaduna?
“This is an unnecessary defence mechanism which the government must avoid. Act with sincerity so that all might know that there is justice and fair play. It is in that way that all of us as Nigerians can do a successful pilgrimage together as a nation.
“Just in February this year, the United States House of Representatives cited Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world. Certainly, this is a most unpleasant classification for a country that is operating democracy and the giant of Africa. What type of giant are we?
“It is a classification that should not make patriotic Nigerians glad in a country where the population is roughly divided equally between Islam and Christianity.
“It is essential for the Federal Government in whose care instruments of cohesion lie to quickly remedy this situation.
“We appeal to the government to desist from giving excuses anymore why the killings are still occurring; we want an end to be put to the killings henceforth. Enough is enough.”
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