Chairman, Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Anambra State, Rev. Ndubuisi John, has accused Governor Willie Obiano of marginalising the Christian body in the state.
He said the marginalisation was informed by his non-Catholic disposition, describing it as religious bigotry.
John who was honoured yesterday in Onitsha by the United Nations Peace and Positive Living Awareness Centre as an ‘Ambassador for World Peace’, lamented that several efforts made by the body to meet with the Governor since he assumed office as the CAN chairman had been unsuccessful.
He said, “One should imagine it is religious bigotry, it depends on one’s perception, if I were to be an Anglican or Roman Catholic Bishop, he would not have treated me that way.
“I think that the government should not abet religious bigotry, it is not wise for the government to abet such. The government should be seen as a
neutral body treating everyone equally irrespective of religious denominational differences.
“It is unfortunate that no member of CAN in the state has been given a slot to participate in a pilgrimage to Holy land since the CAN regime came on board.
“In CAN we have five families, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Christians Council of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Organisation of African Instituted Churches and Evangelical Church Winning All, which I belong to and all handled the leadership of CAN in the state before I came in.
“He has been inviting me in many of the public activities and to be candid I have been showing up, honouring his invitation but he has not honoured my invitation to him.
“For the governor to have kept calm in the present CAN regime is not a good story. It is a very big challenge because the government should finance CAN.
“Ebonyi State Government gives N5 million every month to CAN in the state to run the office. Imo is doing that and they have built ecumenical centre, area offices and employed people who work there. Delta has done the same, they built lodging centre and people are employed.
“Here in Anambra, we don’t have such. We have not even seen the governor’s face on a formal note. We have not been given that opportunity despite so many letters we wrote following so many channels.”
