ACF cautions northern Christians over presidential slot

THE Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday said the call by Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) for a Christian presidential candidate from the North in 2015 is capable of dividing the people and plunge the region into political crisis.

The northern elders therefore cautioned the northern Christian leaders not to divide the North along religious or tribal line.

A statement by the ACF Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, through a text message, simply reads: “Please help us to unite the North and not help to divide it along religious and tribal lines.”

NOSCEF had, after an emergency meeting on Monday in Kaduna, insisted that the next presidential candidate of the country from the North must be a Christian, claiming that the region had had enough of Muslim national leaders since independence.

A statement issued at the end of the meeting, which was jointly signed by its Chairman, Evangelist Mathew Owojaiye and the Secretary General, Mr. Iliya Yusuf, noted that among the heads of state and presidents produced so far by the northern region, only one is a Christian, adding that those that were even democratically elected were all Muslims with overwhelming support from the Christian communities.