The Anglican Bishop of Calabar, Prof Nneoyi Egbe, has said the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was a direct attack on Nigeria’s secularity and that proponents were telling everyone about the degree of injustice they would perpetrate when given political power.
Prof Egbe, said this in Calabar, Monday, during the 2nd Session of the 11th Synod of the Diocese.
“We absolutely do not, will not and cannot accept a Muslim/Muslim or Christian/Christian ticket. Nigeria’s secularity must be respected by our leaders. As I said earlier, Nigeria is a secular State, everybody must have a sense of belonging, we must understand that this country belongs to all of us.
“We all know that we are already polarized along religious and ethnic lines, and with the way the country is, you now bring Muslim/Musim ticket. With this, you are already telling us that you want to operate on the platform of injustice.
“That is why we will not accept it . When I say ‘we’, I, as a Bishop of a Church ilof God, I am an institution. When I say ‘we’, I mean myself, my entire lineage and all the people I represent, whatever that means to you, I say again, we will not accept it,” he declared with a tone of finality.
The lecturer-cum-Church leader also expressed disappointment over the high rate of insecurity which has claimed lives of many Nigerians, and therefore advised the federal government to urgently make provision for the establishment of State Police which, he believed, is the solution to ravaging security challenges.
“People cannot travel freely across the country any longer. Even within cities, no one is guaranteed safety. People are being killed, kidnapped for ransoms, harassed and traumatised.
“In saner climes, this government would have resigned enmass but Nigeria is a place where the law applies to some and not others.
“We need State Police. Denying Nigerians this is evidence of government’s insincerity in securing the Nigerian environment against elements that are pursuing their evil agenda,” Bishop Egbe stated.
