TheCable

John Hayab, chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), says the votes cast by Christians in the state made Nasir el-Rufai, the state governor, victorious in the 2015 gubernatorial poll.

He said this in response to the claim of the governor that majority of the Christians in southern Kaduna voted against him in 2015.

Hayab, who spoke on Thursday at the inauguration of newly elected state executives of CAN at its secretariat in the state, accused the governor of being ungrateful.

He said el-Rufai, who was represented at the occasion by his Samuel Aruwan, his spokesman, would be lying to say Christians did not vote for him.

“We voted for them and if the man tells you that we did not vote for him, he is a liar,” Hayab said.

“He is a liar! Christians even made him governor, but because he is an ingrate, because he has no fear of God, he came out and told Christians that we never voted for him.

“I have always used simple example, in Jama’a local government area of Kaduna state, where the total votes in the 2015 was 86,000, the party in power (APC), got 39,000 votes, the party that failed (PDP) got 46,000. If the person feels that 39,000 is not votes, then he is an ingrate.

“We know the truth and we cannot compromise truth when people begin to twist facts.

The CAN chairman warned that Christians will no longer tolerate those whom he alleged have made it their business to say bad things about them.

He said CAN does not belong to any political party, adding that people must be allowed to choose good candidates.

He told the people to disregard anyone saying there is enmity between Muslims and Christians in the state.

Hayab urged the government and its agencies at all levels to uphold the principles of fairness and equity, which according to him, are non-negotiable for a peaceful society.

“We wouldn’t even mind going to jail if we will tell them that they have insulted our people,” he said.

“I want them to know that they never come to power on their own. I have served CAN when different governors were in power in Kaduna state. “Time has come in Kaduna state that we must tell leaders that we are not ignorant.

“If anybody tells you that there was no peace in Kaduna state, he is a liar. We were able to sustain peace for nine good years- from November 22, 2002, we never had crisis again until the 2011 post election violence. So we were able to sustain peace.

“What we are trying to do now is to work towards sustaining lasting peace. But when somebody said that even when we were working together, there was no peace, that person is a liar.

“If someone is giving you a picture that there is enmity (between Christians and Muslims), there is none.”