By Kingsley Chukwuka
The leadership of TEKAN also known in English as Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria has called on Christians in Nigeria to reject any Political party that is calling for Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket.
TEKAN is also a conglomeration of 15 Churches in Nigeria to include COCIN, LCCN, ERCC, NKST, RCCN, EYN and UMCA among others.
President of TEKAN Rev. Dr. Caleb Ahima and TEKAN General Secretary Rev. Moses Ebuga in a Press statement signed and issued on Tuesday in Jos said the Church stand and condemn the call for Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket ahead of the 2023 General elections.
“The Fellowship wishes to add her Voice on the agitation going on for Muslim-muslim or Christian-Christian ticket in the country, as a fellowship, we stand to condemn such calls and stress that the diversity of our country and the religious sensitivity in the country at this material time cannot allow for such proposal, hence the need to consider both religion in our choice-making for the leadership of our country.
“TEKAN as a fellowship is calling on all Christians in Nigeria to reject any political party that is calling for Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket.
“We also decry the high level of financial inducement during the processes and call on INEC, the electoral umpire, to do the needful and not to peg our democracy for the highest bidder. We also appeal to the EFCC to intervene and arrest all those involved in inducement of delegates. We must stand for credible candidates irrespective of their financial status”.
The TEKAN leadership also called on eligible Nigerians, especially Christians, to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to participate in the 2023 general election, if they truly want to effect positive change.
They noted that the church leadership is in support of clergies to take action against members who don’t have PVCs.
The statement while reacting to the incessant security challenges in the country, said the killing of Christians in Southern Kaduna, Plateau, Borno, Benue, Taraba and other States in Nigeria is unacceptable.
“We call on President Muhamadu Buhari and the security Chiefs to act swiftly to prevent the Nigerian State from derailing into a state of Anarchy. The recent killings of Christians worshippers in a Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo state is worrisome and Unacceptable”.
TEKAN also condemned the recent kidnapping of Catholic Priest in Jos East Local Government of Plateau State Rev. Fr. James Kantoma and call on security agencies to curtail the selective nature of kidnapping Christian clergymen across the country.