A coalition of seven Christian
groups led by the Christian Social Movement of Nigeria, CSMN, has warned
Nigerians against electing any religious fundamentalist into political office
during next year’s general election.
It said doing otherwise would
constitute waging a cosmetic war against insurgency, as well as setting the
tone for the undermining of the nation’s democracy.
A communiqué issued yesterday by
CSNM Chairman, Solomon Asemota, SAN, said the call was part of the resolutions
the coalition reached at the end of its conference in Abuja.
The coalition comprises the
National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), Legacy Initiative International,
Advocates for Freedom and Democracy (AFD), Nigerian Christians in Diaspora, The
Clergy Forum for Peace and Development in the Niger Delta, and the Christian
Ministers Universal Forum.
According to Asemota, they were
concerned at emerging “signals” towards the 2019 elections which indicated that
the leading political parties in Nigeria were preparing to present candidates
from the same regions and religion.
He reiterated that the national
ideology bequeathed by the founding fathers of Nigeria at Independence was
inclusive democracy, hence the need for all hands to be on deck to ensure that
it is neither undermined nor abrogated.
The CSNM Chairman said the
coalition believes that restructuring the nation should be the major agenda of
2019 elections; stressing that the foundation of Nigeria needed redressing.
The communiqué reads: “We are
persuaded that the war against terror can best be won with a God-fearing leader
voted into power in 2019; that electing a religious fundamentalist to lead
national resistance against terror by extremists constitutes a cosmetic war
against insurgency.
“We noted the need for Nigeria to
make God a significant factor in conducting the affairs of the country, and
that Christians should get actively involved in politics to provide the
necessary balance rather than stand at the sidelines to complain against the
religious and social imbalances.
“We are concerned at emerging
signals towards the 2019 elections which indicate that the leading political
parties in Nigeria are preparing to present candidates from the same regions
and religion, to the neglect of others so long marginalized from the political
space, especially the endangered northern Christians.
“We moved for Christian
candidates to be encouraged to join political parties and to contest for
electoral offices, especially the Presidency.
“We insisted that the foundation
of Nigeria needed redressing in the form of a restructuring of the country,
which should be a major agenda of the 2019 elections.”
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