Borno CAN commends Tinubu for picking Shettima as running mate

Despite objections and criticism by the national body of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over the selection of former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, as the running mate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the state CAN Chairman, Bishop Mohammed Naga, has commended Tinubu over the choice of Shettima.

Bishop Naga who heaped praises on Tinubu and the APC in a statement on Monday, said the Christian community in the state was happy with the choice of Shettima who, according to him, was a Christian-friendly leader when he was in power between 2011 and 2019.

“I am speaking boldly without fear or favour because as CAN Chairman I do not receive salary or kobo from government or any institution, but the facts need to be told. As Governor of Borno State, he (Shettima) had shown compassion to the Christian community,” Naga said in the statement.

“My brothers, those who are not from Borno State may not know, but you and I know better. In the history of Borno State, there is no Governor that has been fair to the Christian community in this state as much as Governor Kashim Shettima.

“I am saying this in the presence of God Almighty and this is nothing but the truth. Governor Shettima, in the history of Borno, is the only Governor that has sponsored highest number of Christian Pilgrims every year since 2011.

“For example, when Gwoza people were driven from their ancestral homes, they fled to Maiduguri, and the Governor personally came to CAN Centre in Jerusalem ward two times in June and July 2014.

Read also:Keyamo defends Tinubu-Shettima ticket, says govt doesn’t exist for religious sentiments

“He gave N10 million for their upkeep at first instance, but the victims were not many. By the end of October 2014, the IDPs from Gwoza increased to 42,000 in that camp alone.

“Governor Shettima came again and gave another N10 million. He also gave additional N5 million for Christians from Borno who fled to Cameroon to be returned home.

“He gave another N5 million for non-indigenes who fled to Cameroon to come back to Nigeria.

“The Governor even directed the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, to be supplying food directly to the IDPs under the Christian leadership.

“In fact, the Governor insisted that he wanted Christian IDPs to stay together with their Muslim counterparts in various designated IDP camps here in Maiduguri but we the leaders felt it wise to separate Christian IDPs to avoid frictions between displaced persons dealing with trauma.

“Sincerely speaking as a Christian and a preacher, absolutely I have nothing to fear about Asiwaju’s picking a Muslim as his running mate, because he’s not a religious bigot and I’m happy he has made his mind known to the public in the person of his preferred running mate.”

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