2023: NSCEA embraces Third Force, Labour Party, says No to Muslim/Muslim ticket in Nigeria

A week ago, on June 11, 2022, All Progressives Party (APC) was advised to settle for a Muslim-Christian ticket by Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA), reinstating the position of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who had earlier warned the two leading political parties in the country to avoid the thought of Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket in 2023 to oust the Christian community in Nigeria. Sequel to the wilful defiance, NSCEA therefore directs the Church (All Christians) to unanimously cast each and every (ALL) of their votes in one place for a single party, by endorsing the Labour Party (LP – the Third force).

The CAN’s National Secretary, Barrister Joseph Bade Daramola, on Friday in Abuja had explained that, “Such development as Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket has never been in the history of the country and it’s a threat to the fragile peace and unity of Nigeria.” Adding that, “CAN urges that a balance of both religious practitioners be considered in the choice of running mates of the presidential candidates. We do not subscribe to Christian/Christian ticket or Muslim/Muslim ticket.

He added, “Politicians can talk politics but we have stated our view long before now. Any party that tries same religion ticket will fail. This is not 1993. Even when we have joint Muslim/Christian ticket, the church still goes through hell. Imagine how bad it will be if we have two Muslims in power! The extant Nigerian constitution promotes religious balance. So, if any political party wants to try Muslim/Muslim ticket, it is at its own peril. CAN is only forewarning, but will make a categorical statement in the event our warning is not heeded.”

He urged that Tinubu’s running mate should be a Christian from the North; Atiku’s running mate should be a Christian from the South while Obi should choose his own among the Muslims from the North. Adding that, “Anything contrary to the above means that the leadership of these political parties do not bother about the unity of Nigeria.”

In the same vein, Bishop Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, Secretary, Elder’s Council further stated, “To us at NSCEA, the choice of Atiku and Tinubu by the two oldest and largest parties is already a sort of a Muslim/Muslim ticket kind of, after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight (8) years of Northern-Muslim ticket in power; and as such all political parties should be warned and reminded not to dare attempt any President/Vice president Muslim/Muslim ticket in 2023 so as not to hit up the polity and threaten our fragile national unity.”

Bishop Adesanya-Davies added, “A Muslim/Muslim ticket means the Christian side would suffer from marginalization, oppression, and negative government influence, uneven distribution of wealth and resources, nepotism and socio-religious bias, etc, which is very unfair. It will not augur well for the country bearing in mind the current situation of severe state of insecurity in the country.

However, if the country is not afraid to put in place a Muslim/Muslim ticket, in the two major parties, PDP and APC – Atiku/Tinubu, as well as a Muslim/Muslim ticket again in APC – Tinubu/Masari, which is a total disregard and disrespect of us Christians and all at NSCEA, then Christians would not be afraid to cast their votes in one place with the third force by adopting the Labour Party as a group.

This decision was taken in unison in light of the foregoing by the NSCEA Elders Council on behalf of THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN NIGERIA and in honour of all Nigerian Christian martyrs and dedicated to ALL CHRISTIAN MARTYRS FRESHLY SLAUGHTERED IN COLD BLOOD BY ISLAMIST JIHADISTS at Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria this month on 18 June 2022, THE PENTECOST SUNDAY! Their mass burial took place on 18th. June, 2022.

Further, Bisi Kristien wrote to Nigerian Christians in what was titled, “The Spirit of Christ Wept over Nigerian Christians”. And it’s hereby paraphrased: “Are you a Christian? Nominal, or dedicated Christian, Orthodox, Evangelical or Pentecostal – Do bow your head in shame as the tears of Christ drop heavily from the heavens. The number of church buildings in Nigeria is up to a million and yet; a party can think leaving you out is the best strategy to gain one million votes. Christians, where is your honour, where is your pride, where is your dignity and self-regard? Have they all disappeared! You cannot assert yourself! It is now time for you all to honour Christ and your integrity.

To your camp oh Israel, oh followers of Christ in Nigeria since we can’t continue bathing in the tears of Christ. A Muslim/Muslim ticket is directly ridiculing the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Body of Christ, saying we are useless children of God. My tears roll as I type here; imagining what has befallen the honour of the so-called children of God. Surely, it is time to stand up for the honour of God, the honour of Christ and the honour of Christians. We are not fighting Muslims but in search of Muslims that believe in Christians and have feelings for us that cannot be tampered with nor trampled upon anyhow.”

Bishop Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies
Secretary, Elder’s Council
Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA).