Christian community in Bauchi state on Saturday trooped to the Government House in their thousands to join the State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir in celebrating the 2021 Christmas urging him to shelve his presidential aspiration in order to go for a second term as Governor come 2023.
Gatekeepers News reports that the leader of the Christian community in Bauchi state under the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev Dr Abraham Damina Dimeus who spoke on behalf of the community told the Governor that, “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 CAN Chairman added that “the Christian community is enjoying your administration since you came on board, you have not shown any form of discrimination against the Christian community, we have carried us along in the affairs of governance”.
The Christian community however reminded the Governor to fulfill his promises of a new graveyard as the current one is filed up; completion of the CAN Center and College of Nursing as well as a functional vehicle for mobility.
The CAN Chairman then thanked the Governor for his love for Christians in the state and for appointing many of them into his cabinet and assured him that the Church in the state was fervently praying for him to succeed.
While responding to the Christian community, Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir thanked God for yet another Christmas saying that it is the grace and mercy of God that made it possible to be alive.
The Governor said that “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”.
He continued that, “We have broken the barriers of segregation we met on the 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”.
Bala Mohammed however warned 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”.
The Governor however warned that his administration would not allow acts capable of causing chaos in the state declaring that no one found culpable will be spared.
He further said that a Pastor was killed some weeks ago in the state by yet to be identified persons in a bid to cause a religious crisis in the state commending the Christian community in the state for exercising restraint by not carrying out a reprisal.
Bala Mohammed said that “I want to tell members of the public that there is a lot of campaign of calumny, mischief, and treachery aimed at setting up the Christian community against the Muslim community in Bauchi but as a responsible government, we will not allow such to happen”.
He also said that “Just last month, some people were going round to say that the Christians will attack the Muslim community in Tafawa Balewa and environs. It took the frantic support and vigilance of the security agencies to apprehend the culprits that are perpetuating those lies. They are with the security agencies who will do the needful about them”
According to the Governor, “And again, some few weeks ago, a Pastor was killed with a view to creating a lot of rancour and chaos, but the Christian community exercised restraint and allowed it to be investigated”.
He stressed that “You did it because you have faith in me and in our government. I want to thank you most sincerely for that and I am assuring you that those behind this dastardly act will be apprehended and some have been apprehended already.”
The Governor then urged the Christian community to imbibe the peaceful nature of Jesus Christ by living harmoniously with adherents of other religions in the state stressing that is by so doing that they will demonstrate that they are indeed Disciples of the Lord.
In his remarks, Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman commended the Christian community for the exhibition of good followership in the state stressing that it is only unity that progress can be made.
Suleiman explained that the cordial relationship between the Executive and the legislative arms has necessitated the development of the state in the last two years of the administration in spite of the political differences between them.
He then urged the Christian community to remain supportive of the administration as well as law-abiding also calling on them to steer clear of vices that will smear the good name of the state.
The Governor was later presented with a letter of appointment as a Grand Patron of the Boys Brigade of Nigeria.
