The Catholic Church of Nigeria has made it clear to governor Nasir El Rufai that no governor can be en emperor in Nigeria,this emanated following the anti-preaching law proposed by the Kaduna state government.
This was made known by the Director of Caritas International, Rev. Fr Evaristus Bassey during a press session at the Caritas International, a department under the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in Abuja on Wednesday,March 22nd.
According to Fr. Bassey the proposed law should be created in such a way that it helps to cut down the excess of religious men in the state, but not to impede the constitutional rights of residents of the state to freedom of religion.
"The fear is that even if the proposed bill contains good aims, the proposed restrictions would play into the hands of officials of state who have a hegemonic mentality and would allow them the freedom to persecute one religion in favour of another. The principle of separation of state and Church/Mosque which springs from the supposed secularity of the Nigerian constitution would be severely battered if this bill is pursue in the way it is. Governor El Rufai, who is quite dogged in the pursuit of anything, given this tool, would pursue ardently both what is good and what may be divisive. We advise that Kaduna State rely on existing laws and existing state instruments of law enforcement, to maintain religious harmony in Kaduna State instead of reinventing the wheel. The majority of Kaduna people appear not to want this law, and their wishes should be respected, as no governor is an emperor but an elected official who should defer to the people’s will. The people’s will is sovereign; because of the potential abuses this bill could bring when it becomes law, we opine that it is not necessary” he said
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