Some Christians in the ruling party have called for a complete boycott following the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign council’s inauguration on Friday in Abuja.
The Northern Christians reaffirmed their opposition to the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The Concerned Northern APC Christians Forum stated in a news conference on Sunday in Abuja that the APC’s support of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Borno State Governor Kassim Shettima is an insult to Christianity.
The group’s general secretary, Lukas Bako, spoke to the media and claimed that the campaign council’s inauguration was nothing more than a show.
The organisation claimed that the APC was a failed operation and that there was no likelihood of them obtaining the president.
The group warned that Christians in the nation would face unimaginable persecution if the candidate were to win the presidency.
They claim that Christians in the North speak out against the Muslim-Muslim ticket as a group and join the Christian Association of Nigeria, or CAN, in doing so.
They insisted that anyone who identifies as a Christian and agrees to serve with the APC Presidential Campaign Council should be viewed as a traitor who sold his conscience for a bowl of porridge.
The group, therefore, urged the APC leadership to “do needful by replacing the APC vice Presidential Candidate with a Christian before the commencement of the campaigns”.
However, they suggested that Christians in the APC council resign honourably in protest until the necessary measures are taken.
The ruling party’s refusal to acknowledge that Christians in the North are significant party stakeholders and contributors raises questions in the minds of the APC Christian section.
The Muslim-Muslim ticket was treated with child gloves by the party, the Christian organisation bemoaned, disregarding the religious makeup of the nation despite widespread protest and opposition from other groups.
“The Northern APC Christians Forum is concerned that the APC leadership’s lack of respect for the Christians in Northern Nigeria has reached an alarming crescendo, which could pass for a deliberate attempt to delineate the Christian population in Northern Nigeria.
“Our concern also stems from the fact that the action of the APC can breed distrust amongst the religious groupings in the country. It must be stated that with the Muslim-Muslim Ticket, the Northern Christians have been marginalized and without recourse to the implication of such actions in the overall psyche of the people,” the group said.
The group stated that unless the APC leadership addressed its issues, it would not receive any support from Northern Christians.
They issued a request on the Christians included in the APC Presidential Campaign Council to resign immediately in protest until the necessary things are done.
“The APC leadership must desist from treating Northern Christians as inconsequential in the country’s scheme of affairs.
“Christians will not support the APC Presidential Team until the Muslim – Muslim Ticket issue is resolved holistically.”
