The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Thursday maintained its consistent stance against those who constitute the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in North as it threatened not to accept any recommendation arising from the dialogue.CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor stated this Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with the 28-member reconciliation committee, who visited the leadership of the association to inform them of how far the committee had gone in its reconciliation duty.
Earlier in his speech, the chairman of the committee, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki had highlighted the terms of reference of the committee and solicited for the support of CAN as a critical stakeholder in the peace process.
He said: "We are not only soliciting for your understanding; we are only soliciting for your support and that of the Christian community in Nigeria. "We are not only soliciting your advice and suggestions on how to go about the work of this committee, we are most fundamentally sir, seeking for your cooperation and that of the Christian community in Nigeria."
Turaki explained that the meeting was called to interface with the umbrella Christian body with a view to aggregating opinions and information that would form the fulcrum of the committee recommendations to the federal government.
Responding, Oritsejafor insisted that the whole Christians community did not have confidence on the composition of the amnesty team and as such would not accept any recommendation from it.
The cleric noted that as far as the CAN was concerned, having declared Boko Haram a terrorist group and its eventful proscription by the federal government, the committee had outlived its existence.
He also faulted the timing of the meeting, maintaining that if CAN was so critical to the peace process as the committee chairman had said, it would not be holding discussion with it at a time its tenure was winding off.
In his words: "We know that the tenure given to your committee is 90 days which will lapse in a few days time. This being the case, it is our considered opinion that your invitation to us is an afterthought.
"Having regard to the terms of reference of your committee in dealing with issues of national security and in accordance with section 10 of the 1999 Constitution as amended and in view of the constitutional provision for federal character, we consider the composition of this committee lopsided and unacceptable.
'We further note that Boko Haram, having been declared a terrorist organisation and proscribed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the work of your committee has been overtaken by events.
"From the aforementioned, it is our belief that any report emanating from your committee will not be credible and acceptable to the Christian community."
Jolted by the uncompromising stand of the Christian body, journalists had to be excused with a view to making it shift grounds.
However, after a few minutes, the meeting closed with CAN restating its disapproval of the committee.
Meanwhile, the United States chapter of CAN, has challenged the federal government to prove its claim of a ceasefire deal with Boko-Haram insurgents beyond doubt.
The US-CAN in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Pastor Laolu Akande, said there were no strong indications that the ceasefire deal was sealed with the authentic insurgent group, adding that Boko Haram's contact and spokesperson given by the government was new to the public.
"The person bearing that name, Mohammed Marwan, who is reported to be the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau's second-in-command, is new to the public, As we have always noted, it bears repeating that the CAN-Americans is not opposed to a political situation of the Boko Haram crisis. And this is without prejudice to the man himself, who reportedly even asked for forgiveness from the society on behalf of the terrorist group. The problem though is that his words and action stand in stark contrast to those of Shekau," he said.
BY YEMI AKINSUYI AND ADEBIYI ADEDAPO
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