2023: Shelve your presidential ambition – Bauchi Christians tell Gov Mohammed

The Christian community in Bauchi State on Saturday urged the State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, to shelve his presidential ambition and go for a second term in the state in order to complete the good work he has started.

The leader of the community and chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Abraham Damina Dimeus, said this while speaking on behalf of the community at the Government House, Bauchi, when Christian faithful joined the governor to celebrate this year’s Christmas.

Dimeus declared that Christians in the State were enjoying the Governor Mohammed-led administration since coming on board in 2019, hence they wanted him to remain as the state governor to complete the good work he started.

According to the CAN chairman, under the current administration in the State, Christians had not been discriminated against and were being carried along in governance.

“Though we are ready to go with you anywhere you go, for now, we still need you to remain here in Bauchi State to complete the good job you started.

“The Christian community has been enjoying your administration since you came on board. You have not shown any form of discrimination against the Christian community. You have carried us along in the affairs of governance,” Rev Dimeus said.

He, however, appealed to the Governor to fulfill his promises of providing a new graveyard for Christians, saying that the current one is out of space.

He further made an appeal for the completion of the CAN Centre and College of Nursing as well as the provision of a functional vehicle for the association for mobility.

Responding, Governor Mohammed expressed gratitude to God for allowing all to witness another Christmas, describing this as a grace and mercy from God.

The governor said that he had no choice but to treat everyone in the state equally, irrespective of their religions as he was from a family that had both Muslims and Christians.

He added that his administration has been able to break the barriers of segregation it met and appointed Christians into sensitive positions in government.

In his words, “I am not ashamed to associate with you because I am from a mixed religious background. In my family, we are both Muslims and Christians. I have no choice than to treat everyone in the state as the same.

“We have broken the barriers of segregation we met on ground. We have appointed Christians into sensitive areas of governance and I am glad to say that I have not been disappointed by the move. We have been able to allay the fears of those who were initially skeptical about it.”

He then warned clerics preaching disunity among the people of the state, saying that, “we as a government are going after those clerics who are preaching disunity among the people.

“We have arrested some of them and they will be punished as provided for in the relevant laws of the country.”

Mohammed, however, urged the Christian community in the state to imbibe the peaceful nature of Jesus Christ by living harmoniously with adherents of other religions, submitting that by doing so, they will demonstrate that they are indeed disciples of the Lord.

Also speaking at the event, the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Abubakar Suleiman commended the Christian community for exhibiting good followership in the State.

Sulaiman asserted that the state has been able to achieve development in the last two years largely due to the existing cordial relationship between the executive and the legislative arms despite the political differences between them.

He, however, appealed to Christians in the State not only to continue to support the current administration but also be law abiding and steer clear of vices capable of tarnishing the good name of the State.

DAILY POST reports that the highlight of the Christians visit to the governor was the presentation of a letter of appointment to him as a Grand Patron of the Boys Brigade of Nigeria.