Nigerian constitution is Islamic - CAN delegates
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) delegates at the National Conference said yesterday the Nigerian constitution looks more Islamic than secular.
Bishop Joseph Bagobiri and Pastor Emmanuel Bosun, while speaking at the plenary session, spoke about constitutional issues that they said created the impression that Nigeria has a state religion.
“Islam is mention in the constitution 28 times and Muslim 10 times but church was not mentioned, Christ was not mentioned and Christian was not mentioned,” Bosun said.
He also said religion is being used as manipulating tool to destroy Nigeria. He said Nigeria was daily producing widows and orphans in their thousands because religion has become a manipulative tool used to cause destruction and that there was need for the conference to take a critical look at the 1999 Constitution.
“As at February 2014, COCIN Church in Jos has recorded 25,000 widows. In March 2010, 501 Christians were killed in Jos,” he said.
Attempt by Senator Adamu Aliero to stop Bosun’s emotional outbursts by raising a point of order was overruled.
Bishop Bagobiri said the conference must right what is wrong about the 1999 Constitution and that except the “inconsistencies smuggled” into the constitution were addressed, “then what we are doing here will not bring equity to all Nigerians. We should respect the sanctity of the secularity of the country.”