B00M: How Christians In National Assembly Declined CAN Request To Have CAMA Amended

He claimed they declined CAN's request to raise a bill for the amendment of the controversial law by suggesting to the CAN leadership that they needed to lobby.

Ayokunle, who was also the president, Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), disclosed this while handing over to his successor, Rev. Israel Akanji, who emerged as the new NBC president.

The handover was part of the inauguration of both Akanji and Prof Adewale Akinsola, who is the President and Director of Medical and Health Services of the NBC.

The change of baton was at the Baptist Building, Oke-Bola, Ibadan.

Ayokunle, who handed over after 10 years in the saddle was, advised his successor against putting his trust in man during his tenure when he recalled his experience in the hands of Christian National Assembly members over CAN's efforts to get CAMA amended.

According to him, CAN's executive raised a committee to meet with Christian members of the Assembly but pointed out that they refused to help.

He recalled how they pointedly told the committee members that they were elected into the Assembly through their political parties that presented them and those who sponsored their campaigns, not their churches or CAN.

Ayokunle said: "When we wanted the National Assembly members who are Christians to assist us in sponsoring a bill of amendment to CAMA, we set up a committee to go and meet them.

"When they got to them, they told the committee that they are not in the National Assembly because of CAN. They accepted that they are Christians, but they said CAN didn't send them there. They said ' we were nominated by our parties and our sponsors were the ones who gave us money to campaign and win elections, not CAN.'

"Which means their loyalty is to their political parties and those who sponsored them. And they said again if you want us to help you, we can still help you, we have to lobby and what does lobby means? They said, ' only Christians cannot give you what you want, we have to go to those who are not Christians also and before they can support us, there must be an answer in your hand.ÔÇØ

"That is how politics is done but not in the house of faith, it will not work. There are some people who will never yield because of the Lord they have placed before them.ÔÇØ

Deploring the worsening security situation, the new NBC president urged the government to rise to the challenge of securing lives and property across the country.

Akanji emphasised that the Nigerian Constitution recognises all religions and that no religion should be imposed.