The Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has rejected comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, that Nigeria is a Muslim country.
Jingir, while speaking at a programme in Kano State over the weekend, reportedly backed the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim political arrangement, arguing that Muslims constitute the majority and should therefore have the opportunity to lead the country.
The cleric also described Christians in Nigeria as infidels and suggested that those unhappy with the Muslim-Muslim arrangement were free to leave the country.
Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Dachomo dismissed the claim that Nigeria is a Muslim country, insisting that the country is a multi-religious nation where both Christians and Muslims have equal rights.
He cautioned religious leaders against making statements capable of deepening religious tensions or creating hostility between the two major faith communities.
According to him, Nigeria’s political leadership should not be determined by religious numerical strength but by competence, justice, good governance and the ability to protect the lives and property of all citizens.
“Nigeria is a multi-religious country in which Muslims and Christians have historically participated in the political process and contributed to the development of the nation,” Dachomo said.
He urged religious leaders to exercise restraint in their public statements, particularly when addressing political issues that could affect relations between religious communities.
Dachomo warned that linking political leadership to religious majority could create the perception that one faith has greater ownership of Nigeria than the other.
He stressed that the country belongs equally to all Nigerians, irrespective of their religious affiliation.
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