Kaduna State’s Catholic community has issued a call to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani to intervene and address the recent controversial statement made by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Concerns have been raised that if left unaddressed, El-Rufai’s remarks on the dominance of Muslims in the governance of Kaduna State could potentially escalate out of proportion.
The contentious statement was captured in a widely circulated video, where El-Rufai, speaking in Hausa, claimed that most Christians in Kaduna did not support his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and consequently, he orchestrated their exclusion from positions of power, including the Deputy Governor position.
El-Rufai further asserted that the APC could win elections without the support of Christians, justifying his deliberate exclusion of Christians from top positions.
In response to these divisive comments, the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA) of Kaduna State penned an open letter addressed to Governor Uba Sani and copied to the Presidency.
The letter demanded that Governor Sani clarify his official stance on El-Rufai’s incendiary statements, as he was present at the event where the controversial remarks were made.
The open letter, jointly signed by the chairmen of the Kaduna Archdiocese, Rev. Fr Joseph Gandu; Kafanchan Diocese, Very Rev. Fr Douglas Rock; and Zaria Diocese, Very Rev. Fr Samuel Ameh, called upon Governor Sani to utilize his position of authority to rectify the falsehoods that El-Rufai’s actions and comments have propagated throughout Kaduna State over the past eight years.
Concluding the letter, the Catholic community assured Governor Sani of their unwavering support and prayers, expressing their hope that he would govern with wisdom and steer Kaduna State toward an enviable reputation among other states.
