CAN, Catholic Church disown fake Bishops ‘unveiled’ by Tinubu, APC

The Christian Association of Nigeria, the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria dissociated itself from the Bishops and pastors who attended the unveiling of Kazim Shettima, the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

CAN described them as desperados who went there for themselves, adding that the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was free to “hire mechanics and other artisans and sew clerical garments for them”.

It further said that such efforts would only add to their many ropes but would not change the need for fairness and justice.

The Vice President of CAN (19 Northern States and Abuja) and its chairman in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday said, “The people we saw at the unveiling of Shettima paraded as Bishops are people who did not have enough time to learn how to wear Bishop garments. Take a closer look at their photo and you will see another Nollywood movie.

“CAN wonders why the desperation. First, a story was out claiming to have come from the Chairman of CAN Borno state only to be refuted. Secondly, there was another lie that BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) and his running mate were on their way to meet CAN President one night. A meeting that was not true and was on a night that the CAN President was in Alabama USA attending the Baptist World Alliance Conference of which he is the Vice President.

“Another desperation story was that they met Papa Adeboye which the RCCG later refuted. If Christians are not important why the desperation?

“BAT is free to hire mechanics and other artisans and sew clerical garments for them. An effort that will only add to their many ropes when the political exercise is over but will not change the need for fairness and justice that CAN is calling for.

“CAN appreciate that we are in a democracy, no need to do funny and dubious things just to prove a point because it will in the end bounce back. BAT team should simply do what is right and stop the drama.”

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church has said it did not send any representation to the public presentation of Kashim Shettima as the vice presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The Church said unidentified persons dressed in robes at the event in Abuja earlier today were fake.

Reacting to the photos circulating online from the event, the church said they are not Catholic bishops.

Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku, a spokesman for the Catholic Church Headquarters in Abuja, said the Catholic Church did not send any representation to the event.

“If you look at the manner the imposters dressed and conducted themselves, you will see they are not Catholic Church officials,” he said.