The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the membership of the newly-created North-West Development Commission (NWDC) and ensure adequate representation for Christians.
Elder Sunday Oibe, Chairman of CAN North-West Zone, said in a statement on Tuesday that Christians’ omission from the newly constituted 14-member board was unacceptable and it raised concerns about religious bias under the current administration of President Tinubu.
CAN cited the significant population of Christians across all seven states in the region.
With indigenous Christian communities in states like Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Zamfara, the association argues that their interests could not be ignored and that they deserved a voice on this critical commission.
The CAN’s concerns are echoed by other groups, such as the Northern Christian Youth Professionals, who have also spoken out against the lack of Christian representation on the NWDC board.
Oibe’s statement said: “We wish to draw the attention of the presidency and the national assembly to the fact that governance is fundamentally about inclusiveness in serving the people”, the statement reads.
“In the North-West zone, Christians form a significant population across all seven states. We are, therefore, deeply concerned that the government has constituted a board for the North-West Development Commission (NWDC) without including any Christian representation.
“We are saddened and alarmed by this outright exclusion of Christians in the zone.
“While former President Muhammadu Buhari was accused of nepotism and favoritism in his appointments, we now find ourselves raising concerns about what appears to be religious bias under the current administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“Christians in the North-West are an essential bloc in the Nigerian project, and their interests cannot be ignored.
“How can the interests of Christians in this zone be effectively protected without representation on the board?
“Furthermore, it is important to note that in many states across the North-West, Christians continue to face discrimination and marginalisation.
“The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the North-West zone is deeply troubled by this issue, and we strongly appeal to President Tinubu to urgently address our concerns.”
