CAN petitions NASS, others over Gov. el-Rufai’s licensing of Churches in Kaduna State.

DENNIS UDOMA, Uyo

The out-gone Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Dr. Cletus Bassey has called on the National Assembly, NASS, Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Nigerian Christian Lawyers to caution the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai against licensing Churches in Kaduna state.

He said the idea is a rigorous, unnecessary and obnoxious law, which would banish Christian religious practice in the state.

The Clergyman made the call in Uyo at an interaction with newsmen recently, following a bill to the Kaduna State House of Assembly by the governor to introduce a new law regulating religious practice particularly, Christian worships in Kaduna State.

According to him, “The challenge that we are facing with the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai is that he is making another law that is against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Where, he now sends a bill to the Kaduna State House of Assembly to make the Church and Pastors to be given licenses which, will expire after one year and then ask for another license, making wrong moves against either public worships at certain times that you cannot have service or loud speakers outside the Church during crusades.

“I want to say, that is not Nigeria. Nigeria never promoted that kind of law at any given time. Nigeria never subjected any religious organization under such rigorous and unnecessary rules or law which el-Rufai is trying to introduce”.

He maintained that such attempt by the governor is capable of instigating other state governments to introduce parallel laws to license none Christian bodies in their domain before they can operate their own religious practices.

Dr. Bassey however recalled with nostalgia, how Ex-Gov. Ahmed Yerima of Zamfara state introduced sharia law whereby the Nigerian Constitution and the civil law are being practiced in Northern states today warning that, if Nigeria wants to be truthful to herself, the matter must have to be addressed by the National Assembly which has great responsibility to that effect.

The former CAN boss therefore, called on the National Assembly, Christian lawyers and Nigerian Governors’ Forum to stand up against the obnoxious law about to be promulgated by Mallam el-Rufai saying that, people of his kind should be arraigned for duplicity.

“Is this the beginning of what the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) had asked Nigeria to do? he queried describing the move as evil against the unity of Nigeria, the constitution and the truth of a sovereign and secular nation.

If we keep quiet and watch the way it is going, he said, it would mean that Nigeria has embrace what we have been told that it is, a member of OIC.

Dr. Bassey, who also spoke on his tenure as CAN Chairman in the past six years listed religious harmony among the various religious sects in the state, N100 million revolving loan to members by the state government and, establishment of the body across the 31 Local Governments in the state as some of his achievements.

He thanked Akwa Ibom State government and others for their support throughout the period advising that, government should continue to partner with churches in the state, since it helps in molding moral virtues and empowerment of the people through the establishment of schools and hospitals amongst others.