The General Overseer of World Harvest Ministries and the National Coordinator of Nigeria Inter-Faith Alliance (NIFA), Archbishop Prof Leonard Bature Kawas, has cautioned the Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara to desist from claiming to be speaking for the Christians of northern extraction over the forthcoming 2023 presidential election, “whereas it is obvious that he is only after his personal ambition”.
Archbishop Kawas said this in his office in Abuja when he spoke with newsmen. Stressing that “Dogara lacks the pedigree to speak on behalf of any group of Christians anywhere! Hence he should stop using northerners or religion to attempt to project his personal ambition, when it is so clear that he is grossly spreading falsehood against the acceptance of His Excellency Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of Labour Party, just to try to sell his new found presidential candidate”.
There is need to first establish that, “the acceptance of Obi and Datti in the north in particular and the entire nation in general, irrespective of religious line is unprecedented.” As far as 2023 is conscrned, and in the History of Nigeria as a whole, Peter Obi, is the only presidential candidate whose acceptability cuts across Nigerians of all Religions and Tribes nationwide.
“We all know that the present unbearable predicaments that passionate Nigerians want to rescue their country from, have affected all Nigerians irrespective of religion and ethnicity. So we will no longer fall victim of politicians that will play religion or ethnicity card among us just to perpetrate their nefarious ends.
“Having established that Obi is widely accepted among Nigerians both from the north and south; among Christians, Muslims and even traditional worshipers, we must then put the record straight about Obi’s acceptance particularly in the north, for the sake of the masses that Dogara is attempting to mislead.
“For instance, in Taraba State where I come from, we have had gatherings of huge number of citizens throwing their weight behind Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti. And this is also happening in different parts of the north” like Jos, Lafia, Benue etc the outspoken cleric boldly asserted.
Adding that, there is a group called Fulani for Obi-Datti and members of the group, mainly Fulani people, are massively mobilising their kinsmen in support of Obi and Datti. Also respected Islamic clerics like Sheikh Mohammad Musa and Mohammed yakub are doing great work canvassing more supports for Peter Obi in the north.
“Dogara that suddenly remembered that he is a Christian now that another election is at the corner, what did he do or say when the Christian community was grossly marginalised in terms of appointments by the same administration he helped to snatch power from the same PDP he is now claiming to love? As a Speaker under the rulling All Progressive Congress APC when the north was ravaged by insecurity, churches invaded by bandits, religious leaders kidnapped and brutally massacred, Catholic church under constant attack; to what extent did Dogara stand for the oppressed christians?”
The clergyman emphasised that ” we have lost respect for Dogara since it has become obvious that as Dogara lost out in his quest for the vice presidential slot of APC, he then claimed to want to lead northern Christians against Muslim-Muslim ticket, only to turn around again declaring support for “from Fulani Muslim to another Fulani Muslim” transition, as if Nigerians of other tribes and religions are mere slaves or have no functional brains… But be it known… Nigerians are wiser now and no politician will be allowed to throw religion and ethnic card among us again”.
Retirating that ahead of this 2023 general elections, Nigerians have come together as one, “irrespective of our religion and ethnicity to liberate our country from the shackles of the old generation that vowed never to let go!
” That is why Over three thousand (3,000) Christian and Muslim clerics from all the 36 states of Nigeria and FCT will gather from 10 am on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at World Harvest grounds, Jikwoyi, Abuja under the platform of Nigeria Inter-Faith Alliance (NIFA), which I am the visioneer, to officially endorse Peter Obi and Datti, also to flag off religious communities massive mobilsation for Obi-Datti while with His Excellency Peter Obi and Dr. Ahmed Datti present.
In conclusion, he afirmed that “Yakubu Dogara ought to follow the examples of politicians like Babachir Lawal who on the grounds of Equty, Justice and Fairness is supporting a brilliant, stong and healthy Peter Obi. Babachir Lawal is a BREATH OF FRESH AIR to northern politics and posterity will judge him kindly for rejecting the old order.”
Archbishop kawas concluded as follows ” For Nigeria sake and for the future of my Children, i will never bow to the left and right presure, financial enducement or even Treath to my life. I am supporting a Nigerian who has Character and Conscience. That man is Peter Obi with his Brilliant deputy Ahmed yusuf Datti”.
