The Secretary-General of the association, Elder Sunday Oibe, stated this at a press conference in Kaduna on Sunday.
Oibe also expressed the concern of the association on the intractable insecurity ravaging the entire country.
According to the CAN’s scribe, if the bloodthirsty terrorists could threaten to abduct the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, then nobody in the country is safe.
Oibe, therefore, urged the President to rise up to the occasion by living up to his constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property of citizens and defending the sovereignty of Nigeria.
He added that the presidency and the National Assembly should stop living in denial as the country was on the verge of collapse, saying that urgent and proactive steps must be taken to save the situation as “Nowhere is safe!”
“This is not the country our founding fathers bequeathed to us,” he said.
This was as he congratulated the newly elected president of CAN, Rev. Daniel Oko, while pledging the association’s unalloyed loyalty to him.
He said, “First of all, on behalf of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, we congratulate the newly elected National President of CAN, Rev. Dr. Daniel Oko, and his vice, Rev. Dr. Stephen Baba Panyam.
“We encourage them to stand firm like Joshua in the Bible in this difficult times to be the real voice for the Church in Nigeria. We pledge our unalloyed support in all areas to help them succeed.
“We reaffirm our stand against the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in a multi-religious and multi-cultural society like Nigeria, particularly considering the fact that the country has never been this divided along religion and ethnic lines before.
“Northern CAN wants to use this medium to call on politicians and political parties to be wary of those who might sneak to meet them secretly like Nichodemus in the name of Christian leaders from the north, with the sole aim of wetting their political appetite and desperation for monetary gains.
“Northern CAN, as a reputable religious organisation, will never engage in any secret dealing with any politician as a matter of policy.”
Oibe added, “However, our doors are open to any Nigerian who desires to share with us ideas on moving the country forward. Northern CAN, like many individuals and groups, is deeply concerned about the helpless security situation in the country.
Nigeria is under siege by terrorists who are unleashing mayhem on the citizens and crippling economic and social activities across the country, particularly in states like Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kebbi, Sokoto and even Abuja, the seat of power.
“The continuous brazen and commando-like style, with which these terrorists operate unchallenged, even to the extent of issuing a threat to kidnap the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is worrisome.
“Northern CAN, hereby, calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to stop living in denial. Nigeria is on the verge of collapse, therefore, urgent and proactive steps must be taken to safe the situation. No where is safe!
“Once again, we call on President Buhari to rise to the occasion, by living up to his constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property of citizens and defending the sovereignty of Nigeria.
We urge all well meaning Nigerians to unite and pray fervently for the country and for the defeat of the enemies of the Nigerian state.”
