The North West chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed strong condemnation regarding President Bola Tinubu’s recent appointments to the board of directors of the North West Development Commission, highlighting the absence of Christian representation among the nominees.
According to reports, President Tinubu submitted the names of seven board members to the Senate for confirmation, with Haruna Ginsau from Jigawa nominated as Chairman and Professor Abdullahi Shehu Ma’aji from Kano as Managing Director/CEO. The other appointees include Dr. Yahaya Namahe (Sokoto), Aminu Suleiman (Kebbi), Tijani Kaura (Zamfara), Abdulkadir Usman (Kaduna), Muhammad Wudil (Kano), Shamsu Sule (Katsina), and Nasidi Ali (Jigawa).
In a statement issued in Kaduna on Saturday, CAN Chairman for the North West, Sunday Oibe, voiced disappointment and concern over what he describes as lopsided appointments that perpetuate marginalization and exclusion of Christians. “We are deeply concerned about President Tinubu’s recent appointments to the board of directors of the North West Development Commission. Unfortunately, these appointments do not reflect the diversity of the region, as no Christians from the seven states were selected to the board,” Oibe stated.
The North West Development Commission was established to tackle the region’s developmental challenges, including infrastructure decay and security issues. However, Oibe’s statement raised alarms about the commission’s representation and potential bias, suggesting that the appointments reflect a continuation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket strategy from the 2023 presidential election.
Oibe emphasized that the North West is home to both Christians and Muslims and that the current appointments undermine the principles of inclusivity and fairness. “There are indigenous Christians in all the states that make up the North-West, including Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara, and it should not be assumed that all the people are Muslims,” he remarked.
He urged President Tinubu to reassess the appointments and ensure balanced representation, warning that failure to do so could adversely affect the commission’s success and exacerbate religious divisions in the region. “Leaving these appointments unchanged will have negative consequences for the commission’s success and encourages religious divisions in the region and Nigeria as a whole,” Oibe cautioned.
Oibe also called on Tinubu to prioritize unity and inclusivity in his decision-making, particularly in balancing representation between religious communities. “We request that President Tinubu takes immediate action to address these concerns and promote inclusivity in the North West Development Commission,” he added.
In a stern warning, Oibe hinted that if Tinubu does not address their concerns, CAN may seek redress before the “court of heaven.” “If Mr. President fails to address our genuine complaints, we may be left with no option than to seek redress before the court of heaven against his government’s composition of the board of directors of the commission,” he stated.
