Christian clerics who attended the unveiling of Sen. Kashim Shettima as the Vice Presidential Candidate of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu have countered insinuations that they were fake and of questionable credentials.
On Monday at a press conference in Abuja, the clerics presented certificates and documents that they described as proofs of their ordinations and churches.
While justifying the authenticity of churches, they identified them as Christian Revival Evangelical Mission Worldwide, owned by Apostle Godwin Livinus, Divine Prophetic End Time Gospel Faith in Kubwa, a shepherd by Bishop Dr. Emeka Theodore, and the Light House of all Nation Ministry, which has Bishop Emmanuel Sunday Jayeola as General Overseer among others.
The Christian leaders who gathered at the venue under the aegis of the Muslim-Christian Love Foundation stated they were at Shettima’s presentation to show solidarity.
Secretary of the group, Adams Abel King, who read the statement on behalf of others, disclosed that it was unfortunate they were portrayed as emissaries of CAN.
They dismissed claims of being sponsored to impersonate leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria at the event.
He said, “We never claimed to represent CAN or portray ourselves as their emissaries.”
According to King, they only showed at the event to identify with Shettima, who he claimed transformed Borno state and protected the residents, regardless of religion or bias. At the same time, he was the governor of the state.
“Although Senator Kashim Shettima took the mantle of the state at a difficult time marked by terror attacks and deadly insurgency, his mature, cautious, and decisive management of the state’s affairs helped preserved the social fabric that held several communities together and reassured members of the Christian faith that the government remained committed to their freedoms and wellbeing.”
“His (Shettima) rebuilding efforts targeted at the Christian community, including the reconstruction of churches affected by terrorist activities,” he said.
The emotional clerics condemned the harassment and near-assault they endured over their participation at the event, particularly on social media where mob antics, driven by ignorance and malice, have strained social ties and caused divisiveness.”
