- Safiu Kehinde
Reverend John Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, has faulted former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his remark on the population of Southern Kaduna.
El-Rufai had in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, accused South Kaduna residents who are majorly Christians of having high sense of entitlement despite allegedly accounting for less than 25 percent of the state’s population.
The former Kaduna State Governor whose eight years administration was marred with crisis in the southern region of the state held that he had no regrets over his actions and policies toward the region.
According to reports, Reverend Hayab, who also served as Kaduna State CAN Chairman during El-Rufai’s administration, described the former governor’s remarks as “dangerous and divisive.”
Hayab noted that that claim reflected long-standing tensions between the former governor and communities in the area.
He labelled the remark as an insult to the dignity and integrity of the Christian community in Kaduna State.
“As the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kaduna State Chapter, I am outraged by Mr El-Rufai’s claims, which are not only a gross misrepresentation of facts but also a manifestation of deep-seated animosity towards the Christian community in Kaduna State.”
“We take umbrage with Mr. El-Rufai’s disparaging remarks, which insult the dignity and integrity of the Christian community in Kaduna State. His comments betray a lack of respect and understanding for the significant contributions Christians have made to the state’s development.”
Recounting the previous national census exercise, the CAN leader said that figures from Southern Kaduna were highly significant, stressing that families in the region are typically large, with some households having as many as 15 to 23 children.
The CAN leader also alleged that what often distorts population statistics in the state is not the lack of people in Southern Kaduna but rather the alleged manipulation of figures in other parts of the state.
Hayab further described El-Rufai’s public declaration of having no regrets over policies that affected Southern Kaduna communities as worrisome.
Such remarks, according to the CAN leader, do not promote reconciliation and inclusivity.
Hayab further called for future census exercises to include religion and ethnicity as variables.
This he claimed would help prevent distortions and ensure fairness in demographic planning.