Senator Joseph Waku, National Vice-Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, has described comments credited to the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, before the United States Congress’ Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights, as “reckless”.
Pastor Oritsejafor had asked that Boko Haram should be classified as a terrorist organisation by the US.
But in his reaction, Senator Waku warned that if the CAN President is not called to order by Christians, his comments could further divide the country along ethnic and religious lines.
The ACF leader in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said Pastor Oritsejafor should represent the country well wherever he found himself. “Some of us who are equally Christians need to caution Oritsejafor to stop hiding under his leadership of CAN to make reckless statements that can further divide the country along ethnic and religious lines as well as damage our image abroad," he said.
Almost insulting the Christian leader, Senator Waku said: “It is because Oritsejafor has been allowed to make these reckless statements at home unchecked, that he is now so emboldened to take his personal agenda and campaign of calumny being executed with the name of CAN to the international arena.
“That Oritsejafor could go before a US congress committee to make a case against the Nigerian government position on the Boko Haram debacle is unfortunate and condemnable.
“This is because the ultimate consequence of his action will not only affect a section of the country, but the entire nation, its economy and the free movement of its citizens across countries of the world.”
He warned that if the CAN president would not stop rolling such comments on sensitive national issues, “some of us in the Christian fold will be helping him by replying him before he succeeds in creating a different impression about Christianity to other religions.”
But in his reaction, Senator Waku warned that if the CAN President is not called to order by Christians, his comments could further divide the country along ethnic and religious lines.
The ACF leader in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said Pastor Oritsejafor should represent the country well wherever he found himself. “Some of us who are equally Christians need to caution Oritsejafor to stop hiding under his leadership of CAN to make reckless statements that can further divide the country along ethnic and religious lines as well as damage our image abroad," he said.
Almost insulting the Christian leader, Senator Waku said: “It is because Oritsejafor has been allowed to make these reckless statements at home unchecked, that he is now so emboldened to take his personal agenda and campaign of calumny being executed with the name of CAN to the international arena.
“That Oritsejafor could go before a US congress committee to make a case against the Nigerian government position on the Boko Haram debacle is unfortunate and condemnable.
“This is because the ultimate consequence of his action will not only affect a section of the country, but the entire nation, its economy and the free movement of its citizens across countries of the world.”
He warned that if the CAN president would not stop rolling such comments on sensitive national issues, “some of us in the Christian fold will be helping him by replying him before he succeeds in creating a different impression about Christianity to other religions.”
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