recent statement linked to former Federal Capital Territory Minister,
Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Jesus Christ, as reckless and also
indicative of an untamed tongue filled with jabbers.
Addressing newsmen on the issue through its General Secretary, Rev.
Musa Asake, CAN warned El-Rufai that"if he persists in such matters
and making such divisive commentaries, he must prepare himself for a
very forceful and vigorous reaction from the Church and the Christian
community in Nigeria", adding that the "maturity and dignified
restraint of the Christian populace, in the face of inflammatory and
provocative statements, should not be taken as licence for unbridled
assault."
"We urge his religious leaders and political associates to advise him
to be far more sombre and circumspectand put a padlock on his mouth
before he lights the candle that sets our country on fire.
"On our part, we urge the Christian community and our Christian youths
to continue to be restrained and always seek peace, love and harmony,
in spite of the provocations that they are facing from the likes of
Nasir El-Rufai and those he represents.
"We must not allow him to turn Nigeria into a cauldron of fire by his
reckless, bigoted and twisted commentaries about our Lord or ourfaith
and we must view him for exactly what he is, a failed, desperate,
hate-filled and drowning politician, who is now stoking embers of
religious division to createa political base for himself amongst his
people.
"Nigeria has no place for a religious bigot who delights in insulting
the Christian faith.
"We urge the Federal Government to call Nasir El-Rufai to order and
not to overlook the possibility that his joke was not only contrived
but was actually calculated to create an even greater wedge between
Christians and Muslims with the attendant consequences.
"Had it not been for the maturity, fortitude, patience, decency,
forgiving nature and deep sense of restraint that the majority of
Christians have in our country, El-Rufai would not have been safe
anywhere in Nigeria today after cracking such an expensive joke."
El-Rufai had reportedly tweeted on January 28, that "if Jesus
criticises Jonathan's government, Maku, Abati or Okupe will say that
he slept with Mary Magdalene". In actual fact, El-Rufai didn't
originate the tweet, he just retweeted it like had done on several
occasions, retweeting tweets of his young associates.
The tweet came from the handle @zebbook owned by a Bukola Ogunyemi who
isprobably a Christian.
Nasir El-Rufai had since apologised about the tweet which has been a
subject of controversy.
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