Buhari wants to Islamize Nigeria through backdoor –Christian groups

A coalition of over 14 Christian groups in Nigeria has raised an alarm over what they say is desperate plans by the Presidency to turn the country into an Islamic State, “through the backdoor”.

They warned that such action contravenes Nigeria’s secular status.

According to them, the Bill in the House of Representatives proposing amendment to Section 262(1) of the 1999
constitution with a view to expanding the existing jurisdiction of the Sharia Court of Appeal and the State by including criminal matters was insensitive and inconsistent with democratic and republican ideals of the constitution and the Nigerian State.

The spokesperson of the coalition and National President of NCEF, Mr. Solomon Asemota (SAN); Prelate of Methodist Church/Head of Christian Council of Nigeria bloc in Christian Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Udofia and Leader of CPF, Prof. (Bishop) Funmi Adesanya-Davies, tabled these issues at a press conference held on Friday in Abuja.

Asemota said, “The proposed amendment is a desecration of the sanctity of the FCT as a symbol of national unity, which should be preserved. Nigeria’s membership of religious organisations and associations, particularly the Organization of Islamic Cooperating Countries and the Coalition of Islamic Nations against ISIS, is insensitive, against our best national security interest and democratic norms.

“To maintain the unity, faith, peace and corporate progress of Nigeria, we demand that Sharia should be expunged from the constitution and Sharia-based public institutions, agencies and practices in the states should be abolished. In this respect we demand the return to status quo as per the Republican Constitution of 1963.

“The and implementation of the Shariah law and principles by some States in Nigeria is a clear and blatant violation
of section 10 of the Constitution

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“The deployment of the resources and institutions of the State for the promotion of Sharia is unconscionable and violation of the Constitution and offence against the sensibilities of the diverse Nigerian people.

“The selective and discriminatory economic empowerment of Muslim clerics by some States in the North, in particular Kano state, by their placement on the government payroll is a clear violation of the ideals of democracy and social justice as entrenched in section 14(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

“The proposed Kaduna Religious law violates the Freedom of association, expression, Conscience and Right of worship as entrenched in section 15(3) (d), 38, 39 and 40 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution.

“There are adequate provisions in the Penal Code to curtail religious extremism, criminality and terrorism. The escalation of religious extremism, criminality and terrorism is due to the failure of leadership to enforce extant laws due to religious bigotry and discriminatory tendencies and sympathy for religious persecution, extremism and terrorism.”

The coalition also demanded restructuring of the country in accordance with the recommendation of the 2014 National Conference which was duly constituted and inaugurated by a duly elected government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Asemota said, “It is therefore impossible for any individual, or group of individuals or any government to wish away or pretend that the CONFAB 2014 never took place. The recent statement of the President to jettison this document to the “archives” is very unfortunate and worrisome.”

See below the list of Christian groups that took part in the press conference:

1. NATIONAL CHRISTIAN ELDERS FORUM (NCEF)
2. NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP (NCGF)
3. THINK TANK FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST
4. CHRISTIAN LAWYERS FELLOWSHIP OF NIGERIA (CLASFON)
5. ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA (ACSIN)
6. STUDENTS CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT (SCM)
7. CHRISTIAN PROFESSIONALS FORUM (CPF)
8. INTERCESSORS FOR NIGERIA (IFN)
9. INTERNATIONAL PROPHETIC MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION (IPMA) (Inc. Worldwide College of Bishops & Ministers, Africa, UK & USA)
10. INTERCESSORS WITHOUT WALLS (IWW)
11. WAILING WOMEN INTERNATIONAL
12. FULL GOSPEL BUSINESSMEN FELLOWSHIP
13. NIGERIAN FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN STUDENTS (NIFES)
14. UNIVERSITY JOINT CAMPUS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (UJCM)

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