The Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church and former All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Pastor Tunde Bakare, yesterday, urged Nigerians to prioritise nation-building ahead of ethnic or religious sentiment.
Bakare, however, charged fellow Christian leaders to approach the issue in question and the broader context of the 2023 elections with civility, clarity and with continued hope in the possibilities of a united Nigeria.
Reacting to the decision of the APC to select Muslims as the president and vice-presidential candidates of the party, Bakare said that this is the time to show maturity in decision-making and to give every Nigerian a sense of belonging.
Bakare further said that he has chosen to be a bridge between Nigeria’s past, present and future, adding: “We choose to do this because we believe that building the New Nigeria is the calling upon every Nigerian worthy of the name”.
The Pastor said that the pillar of Northern Nigerian politics, the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, recognised this moral obligation to ensure that due consideration is given to diversity of persuasions in public policy. Hence, his statement to the peoples of Northern Nigeria in a unifying message.
His words: “As a result, Northern Nigeria had its political foundation built on the principles of inclusion and religious harmony. This value system of religious neutrality and inclusion played out when military forces from Northern Nigeria took over power in the 1966 counter-coup. The military had the confidence to leave the nation in the custody of a Christian from a minority ethnic group in the North. General Yakubu Gowon would go on to govern Nigeria for nine years keeping Nigeria one amidst a civil war.
“So, this moment calls for every Nigerian, from the North, South, East and West, to renew our commitment to nationhood, building upon what worked in the time of our founding fathers, while learning from their mistakes and imperfections as we build a more perfect union.
“What we need is a New Nigeria that works for every Nigerian, Christian as well as Muslim. Nationhood, rather than divisiveness must be the objective of every engagement”.
