The Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Kaduna state chapter, Apostle Emmanuel Egoh Bako has decried the policies of the Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai-led administration, stressing that the policies are manipulated to engender unrest in the state.
He pointed out that whereas all citizens of Kaduna State want to live in peace with one another, the policies of Governor El-Rufai are endangering unrest among Kaduna people.
Briefing newsmen on issues trending in the state as governed by El-Rufai, he said, “It is unfortunate that our governor has over the past three years waltzed effectively from one unpopular policy to another.”
He added that the policy that bothers them currently is El-Rufai’s recent decision to pick a fellow Muslim as his running mate in the 2019 election.
“While he has the right to choose who becomes his deputy, his recent decision negates all tenets of equity, fairness and justice especially in a state like Kaduna that is prone to ethnic and religious crises,” he said.
Bako added, “His decision tells us that the governor cares less of the peaceful coexistence of citizens of the state. He portrays the image of a man desirous of peace but each time he speaks or takes decisions, they are fraught with divisive and combative grandstanding. These his religious postures and divisive approach to governance are a cause of serious concern.”
The group said by choosing a female from Southern Kaduna who is a Muslim after a crisis that snowballed into a religious crises, such choice was the height of insensitivity by El-Rufai.
“If it is about competence, is she the only competent person from a predominantly Christian area? It certainly speaks volume of the governor’s demeaning mindset towards Christians in Kaduna State.
“To buttress this, consider the governor’s appointment of commissioners which was 14 Muslims to 3 Christians.
“Similarly, appointments into parastatals at state and those that represent the state at the federal level are skewed against Christians. And to rub it in, Malam El-Rufai said that President Muhammadu Buhari backs his deliberate shortchanging of Christians in the state with the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Meaning that the governor and the President are working hand in gloves.
“In posting sole administrators or caretaker committee chairmen, the governor sent Muslims to head Christian dominated local government areas with no Christian posted to Muslim dominated local government areas.
“This reminds us of the sad case of Leah Sharibu whose Muslim compatriots were negotiated out of captivity but was not considered worthy of release from her captors.
“With these obviously divisive, parochial and bigoted policies, the governor has decidedly notified Christians that he does not want their votes. We and our members have fully accepted the message.’
“This wanton disregard for our religious sensibilities will further increase the suspicion between Christians and Muslims for no just cause. The fragile peace prevalent in the state is a deliberate creation of the state governor.
“We therefore draw the attention of Civil Society Organizations and well meaning Nigerians to these facts.
“These are few out of the sundry sad reminders of the governor’s disregard for the humanity of Christians in Kaduna State since he assumed office in 2015,” Bako said.
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