“I’m not going to endorse any candidate. That’s one thing that is sure… In my church, there are people across the 18 political parties. So, why should I choose one against the others? ”
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, Reverend John Joseph Hayab, has denied a viral letter circulating on social media claiming he endorsed the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru.
The Kaduna CAN chairman, in a telephone interview with TheNiche from his base in Kaduna, said at no time did the Christian body endorse any candidate.
He said even in the fake letter, there are proofs of it being fake.
The Christian clergy said the letterhead on which the letter was written is remarkably different from what the Kaduna CAN uses. He added that the address on the letterhead was strange, and the signature they claim belongs to him was a bad effort at forgery.
Hear him: “What happened is that one of the parties, after losing the whole three senators in the state, recruited some jobless people to write that letter.
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“They are feeling that the larger Christian community may want to vote for Ashiru. In order to instigate the Muslims against Ashiru, they are writing that fake story.
“One, the letterhead they used is a fake letterhead. Two, they didn’t do a good job with the office address. Our office address is number 14, Ibrahim Taiwo road, and we have been there for over 25 years. But they didn’t know it. They wrote number 3, Rigachikun Street in Kakuri. I don’t even know where that place is in Kakuri. They also failed in getting my signature right. And they wrote a lengthy thesis which we have no reason to write.
“So, it’s a panic reaction. The same thing they did in my name just a few days before the presidential election. They went to the internet and said that I asked Christians in Kaduna should not vote for Peter Obi and that they should vote for Atiku. And there is nothing like that.”
On endorsement, the cleric said: “I’m not going to endorse any candidate. That’s one thing that is sure. Whether I like you or hate you, I’m not going to endorse any candidate. I can discuss with my friends and analyse elections but not endorse any candidate because if I do, I’m going to scatter my church. Because in my church, there are people across the 18 political parties. So, why should I choose against the others? ”