CAN says report of Christians being threatened over Buhari is false

The Borno State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has tagged false, the report that members of the Christian community in the state were being threatened over their support for All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming elections.

The religious association has described the report as “baseless, fictitious and unfounded.”

This was contained in a press statement made by the Borno CAN chairman, Titus Pona, in Maiduguri.

It read, “The attention of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Borno State chapter has been drawn to a publication making rounds in several national dailies and other social media alleging that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan bribed Pastors in the nation with the sum of N7 million, and that this money was channeled through the National CAN’s Office, for pastor’s to help campaign for his re-election in the next polls come March 28, 2015.

“According to the publication , each of the State CAN chairmen, recieved the sum of N3 million for the purpose of campaigning for PDP Against APC, and some people are threatening Christians in Borno State that they will deal with anybody who refused to vote for Jonathan.

“These allegations are credited to one Pastor Musa Ali Kallamu Dikwa who claims to be in Borno State,” Rev. Pona stated.

According to Pona, he says it is amusing to hear that religious leaders are threatening Christians not to vote for APC but only for PDP.

He continued, “We have a cordial working relationship with the government at all levels and to say that Christians are threatened not to vote for APC in the state is baseless, fictitious and unfounded and we consider it as a calculated attempt to discredit Christians in the state,” it said in the release.

“Ordinarily we would have ignored such wild allegation but for the specific mention of Borno State in the piece. Such allegation can easily mislead well meaning persons and perhaps vulnerable public,” Rev. Pona stated.

He pointed out that Pastor Musa Kallamu Ali Dikwa has been a charlatan for quite sometime.

“He recently converted from Islam to Christianity and we thank God for that. But he was not properly disciplined. He took advantage of that to deceive several people especially to get the sympathy of Southern Christians. He is well-known for that.

“We are therefore not surprised that he agreed to be a willing tool to be used to cause disaffection among the populace. His claim to have been an associate pastor with EYN Farm Centre in Maiduguri is also untrue. Available records reveal that he was never a part of the staff of EYN”.

“For the records, CAN Borno State chapter has no knowledge of such wild allegation and did not collect any N3 million from anywhere for the purpose of campaign.

He further said that “as a body, CAN is non-partisan and we encourage everyone to belong to a party of his or her choice since we have Christians in all parties”.

“Pastor Kallamu is not living in Maiduguri. For some years now while in Maiduguri he was the leader of a Mission Organisation known as Kanuri Gospel Mission. We do not know when he became the Executive Director of a non-existent Voice of Northern Christian Movement; maybe for such propaganda.

“We urge the public to be weary of characters in the like of Pastor Musa Ali Kallamu. We urge well meaning Christians to pray for him pleading for God’s mercies on his behalf,” Pona stated.