Lagos chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Stephen Adegbite has scolded the Muslim rights advocacy group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), for criticism of the commissioners-nominee list by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Adegbite, at a briefing on Monday, criticised how over 30 Muslim groups under the aegis of the Joint Muslims Forum (JMF), expressed dissatisfaction after Sanwo-Olu sent the list to the House of Assembly for confirmation.He saidthe groups claimed the Governor favoured the Christian community with just eight Muslims on the list of the 39-man list.

Such attitude, CAN said, was not only distasteful but also condescending. He said the apex Christian body will not accept any religious bullying.

According to him: “We would like to make abundantly clear, that these remarks and actions are not only distasteful and way out of line; they are deeply condescending and we refuse to accept any form of faith and religious-based bullying behaviour neither would any semblance of such under whatever guise be tolerated. It would not be an exaggeration to say Lagos has enjoyed immense peace and prosperity over these years because the managers of its affairs amongst many other key elements have worked tirelessly to insulate the state from any form of religious intolerance or anything close to it.”

Open Letter ESQ

Berating MURIC and the Muslim groups for playing toxic and divisive politics, he pointed out many Christians worked for the much-cricitised Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) based on competence and not religious considerations.

He pointed out the Christian community didn’t demand religious consideration in the election of Lagos Speaker despite the fact that over 60 per cent of the 40-member Assembly is Muslim. Adegbite said the three elected Lagos Senators are Muslims yet many Christians voted for them without minding their religious beliefs.

He said insisting that the Commissioners-nominee should be not sworn in was provocative since the Christian community didn’t make any similar request when the Lagos Assembly was about to be inaugurated.

According to him: “We hereby urge the Lagos State House of Assembly to peacefully continue the constitutional process of screening and confirmation of the nominees which they started yesterday, Sunday 13th August 2023 and not give ears to or be swayed in any way by the incongruous and unsavoury demands by these group of persons.

”We also plead with well-meaning citizens of the State to kindly disregard any call that is capable of igniting religious emotions and sentiments. We promise to continue to pray and support our governments at all levels including our state for them to meet the yearnings and expectations of the citizenry that voted them into power without any religious bias but that believe and trust that they can deliver," CAN added. (Nation)

•Lagos chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Stephen Adegbite and other executives