Every Nigerian is looking forward to seeing the complete of killings in this nation,” he said.
On the discuss surrounding the persecution of Christians, Okoh said CAN would continue to draw attention to attacks, discrimination, marginalisation and other violations affecting Christian communities.
He, still, said defending Christians should not be interpreted as hostility towards the government or other religious groups.
“Defending Christians does not mean fighting the government. It does not mean hating Muslims or any other religious category,” he said.
He maintained that the group opposed religious hatred and supported the protection of every Nigerian, irrespective of religious affiliation.
“When a Christian is attacked seeing that of his faith, we will speak. It is a re-commissioning,” he said.
He further disclosed that the associate’s anniversary activities will incorporate a road walk, an anniversary crusade, football competitions, an ecumenical workshop, a Bible quiz, a established charity summon on, a women and youth assembly, a colloquium and a music cantata.
The programme will culminate on October 17 together with an awards presentation and the unveiling of a historical publication documenting CAN’s voyage, followed by an anniversary church help and thanksgiving on October 18.
Where government fails to safeguard citizens, we will state so.
“Where injustice occurs, we will speak. Where citizens are suffering, we cannot remain silent,” Okoh stressed.
According to him, CAN’s loyalty to truth cannot be compromised by its tie using political leaders, adding that the collaboration would stay to discharge its moral responsibility to the Church and the Nigerian humans.
“We respect the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We respect the institutions of government.
“But our loyalty to truth cannot be compromised or subordinated to political proximity.
The Christian Collaboration of Nigeria will not hesitate to criticise the Federal Government whenever it fails to conceal citizens or violates their rights, its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, has said.
Okoh said the relationship would persist to involve government constructively whilst maintaining its independence and responsibility to speak against injustice, insecurity and policies that undermine the welfare of Nigerians.
The CAN president stated this on Friday in Abuja at a press conference to indicator the relationship’s 50th anniversary, including the theme, “Walking Together in Faith: Celebrating 50 Years of CAN’s Commute.”
He said CAN was neither a political opposition party nor an organisation understood to praise the government, stressing that its associate alongside authorities was guided by principles rather than political convenience.
“CAN is neither a government opposition party nor a government praise-singing organisation. We are a Christian institution using a countrywide responsibility,” Okoh said.
He added, “Where government policies support the welfare of Nigerians, we will assist them.
“Where government requires alliance to send the dividends of democracy and effective governance to communities, CAN is demonstrate to cooperate.”
The cleric, still, warned that the relationship would not persist silent when citizens suffered or their constitutional rights were threatened.
“Where government makes progress, we will acknowledge it. When a Muslim is attacked given that of his faith, we should speak.
“When an innocent Nigerian is killed by terrorists, bandits or criminals, we must all speak,” Okoh said.
He urged the media and other stakeholders to prevent reducing every conflict in the country to religious differences, noting that some incidents moreover involved ethnicity, land disputes, political power, criminality and competition for resources.
The CAN president continued called on political parties and candidates contesting the 2027 general elections to prioritise domestic attract and bypass employing religion, ethnicity and area sentiments to mobilise support.
He said political campaigns should focus on policies and competing ideas for improving Nigerians’ lives, warning against hate speech, intimidation and electoral violence.
“Elections should be a contest of ideas, not a contest of violence; a competition for audience facility, not a licence for customized destruction,” he said.
Okoh additionally expressed problem around the economic hardship facing Nigerians, citing the rising price of living, unemployment and the difficulties families come across in meeting essential needs, including food, healthcare, education and housing.
He urged the government to pursue policies that would stimulate valuable economic activity, generate jobs, assist modest and medium-sized enterprises and safeguard vulnerable citizens.
“Every economic policy must in the conclude be judged by its consequence on the audience,” he said.
Reflecting on CAN’s 50-year background, Okoh said the tie was founded in 1976 to provide a ordinary platform for Christian denominations to speak together with one voice on issues affecting the Church and the country.
He said the relationship had recorded achievements in advocacy, worldwide partnerships, peacebuilding, electoral observation and humanitarian interventions, whereas acknowledging internal disagreements and command tensions that required institutional reforms.
As CAN enters its coming 50 years, he said, the category would focus on strengthening Christian unity, improving its administrative structures, promoting interfaith engagement and expanding its contribution to social development.
He additionally called for larger participation of women and young individuals in management, saying the later of the relationship depended on preparing the subsequent generation.
Okoh said CAN’s golden jubilee was not a retirement celebration but an opening to renew its commitment to nationwide development and responsible engagement using government.
“CAN at 50 is not a retirement celebration. To do so is to abdicate from our moral responsibility, and it will be a disservice to God and the persons we support,” he said.
Okoh, continued in his remarks to indicator the five decades of Christian unity and society engagement, said CAN has participated in nationwide discussions on governance, democracy, religious freedom, insecurity, poverty and statewide development.
He said CAN’s role longer beyond religious activities to incorporate advocacy for effective governance, protection of central rights and humanitarian assist for vulnerable communities.
The relationship’s president moreover called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to tackle insecurity, noting that Nigerians continued to suffer from terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and other forms of criminality.
He said places of worship had been attacked, worshippers killed or abducted, and communities displaced, although farmers had been forced away from their farmlands, worsening food insecurity.
“CAN hence repeats its name to government that the principal responsibility of government is to watch life and possession. Where constitutional rights are threatened, we will improve our voice. Citizens should under no circumstances have to negotiate together with terrorists, bandits or kidnappers easily to continue alive,” he said.
Okoh called for a security structure able of preventing attacks rather than merely responding later than lives had been lost.
“Premature warning must manage to initial analysis,” he said, urging security agencies to activity greater effectively together with communities and civil culture organisations to locate emerging threats.
During the time that acknowledging the efforts of President Bola Tinubu and his group to lessen insecurity, the CAN president said greater needed to be done to improve the output of security agencies.
“We acknowledge the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his group to bottom the extent of violence and insecurity in the nation, but we reflect that additional could be done to enhance the services of security agencies in Nigeria.
Source: CAN will criticise government when necessary, says president
