The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria says the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) needed to have remained silent on the immediate past governor, Nasir El-Rufai’s comments on some political happenings in the state.

The Kaduna CAN Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, recently lashed out at El-Rufai for choosing Muslims as deputy governor, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief of Staff, and Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

Hayab said the former governor was promoting Islam in Kaduna State, adding that it was a move by El-Rufai to be relevant after leaving office.

Reacting, the Sharia council, in a statement issued on Sunday, June 10, by its Secretary in Kaduna State, AbdurRahman Hassan, said the council’s position “is that CAN would have shut up, and follow the line of Honour! If it had known.”

It urged CAN to always preach peace and shun violence, adding: “During the campaigns of the just concluded elections in this country, where was CAN when majority of pastors were making unguarded utterances, which if not for the help of Allah (SWT), Nigeria would have been history.

READ ALSO: Uba Sani takes over in Kaduna, renames road after El-Rufai

“Where was CAN when a pastor stood on the pulpit with AK-47 in Abuja? Where was CAN when some Christian clergies were making prophecies of doom for this country? But Alhamdu Lillah, all the hullabaloo, and all the fake and false prophecies, nothing negative happened to our dear country Nigeria.

“The Muslim Ummah have been tolerant enough, if not, there is no way, a Muslim Dominated state like Taraba, will be governed by a Christian. If a plateau state with a population of over 35% Muslims were denied the Deputy Governor slot, why should Kaduna State with Muslim population of close to 75% not have Muslim-Muslim ticket?

“CAN should better understand that democracy is a game of numbers, and that was what played out during the just concluded presidential election.

“The Muslim votes were divided into four places; Mallam Bola Ahmed Tinubu of APC, Alh. Atiku Abubakar of PDP, Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of NNPP and Mallam Kola Abiola of PRP, while the entire Christians of both northern and southern parts of this country (if not but a few) gave a bulk vote to Mr. Peter Obi of LP. Despite this, Mallam Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim, emerged as the winner of the election and is now our President.

“Let the politicalized CAN understand that peace is only achieved when there is justice and adherence to democratic norm, which is relative to demographic realities.

“Good men of God always preach peace not violence and instigative tendencies which in turn, will be a threat to peace and development. We eschew CAN to toe the line of honour in neutrality, rather than playing double standards.”

The Star