CAN slams US Secretary of State over visit to Sultan

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has accused the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry of discriminating against Christians.

CAN also expressed displeasure that Kerry did not meet with any Christian group when he came to Nigeria on Tuesday, August 23, 2016.

It also accused the United States of trying to plant religious and ethnic division, following Kerry’s visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, who is the head of Muslims in Nigeria.

CAN also alleged the US Secretary of States’ visit to the Sultan was aimed at encouraging the Federal Government’s agenda of persecuting Nigerian Christians.

It also called on Kerry to stop interfering with the internal affairs of a sovereign nation like Nigeria.

According to the President of CAN, Rev. Supo Ayokunle,Kerry’s “lack of respect for the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria, amounted to favouring northern Nigeria and Muslims to the detriment of the Christian community.”

He also said the action of the US Secretary of State proves allegations that Barack Obama’s administration supported theAll Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2015 elections.

According to to Ayokunle, “Why did he meet with 19 states governors, without southern governors, is Nigeria the north alone, why did you go to the north alone?

“There’s a siege on Christians. Kerry, his actions speak volume, his actions, body language were very divisive.

“If US Secretary of States is coming for official visit, it’s understandable, but we demand explanation why he was selective. Has the sultan palace become another state house? Was Kerry invited by the Sultan?

“We have 36 States in Nigeria; he only selected northern governors to meet with them. It was a visit to the north, not to Nigeria. It was surely a very divisive visit. With the visit to the north, Kerry’s visit has heightened fear and tension among Christians in Nigeria, if they cannot bring us together, they should not interfere in our affairs.”

Fani Kayode, in an article titled: John Kerry's unadulterated Garbage & his new-found friends, said the US Secretary of State's recent meeting with northern Muslim leaders in Nigeria, 19 northern governors, 16 of whom are Muslims and the new Islamic Development Bank in the country are pointers that Buhari, whom he described as "Muslim-fanatic and sharia-loving" is systematically pushing the Islamic agenda in Nigeria.