The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned political parties and candidates against weaponising religion, ethnicity and regional sentiments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, gave the warning on Friday in Abuja during a press conference marking the association’s 50th anniversary, themed “Walking Together in Faith: Celebrating 50 Years of CAN’s Journey”.
Okoh urged political actors to put national interest above political ambition and make the 2027 campaigns about practical solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
“We expect political campaigns to be issue-based and focused on competing ideas about how to improve the lives of Nigerians,” he said.
The CAN president warned that politicians must discourage incitement, hate speech, violence and intimidation among their supporters.
He said Nigerians should be free to vote according to their conscience without coercion or manipulation.
“Elections should be a contest of ideas, not a contest of violence; a competition for public service, not a licence for personal destruction,” Okoh said.
He added that CAN would continue to support credible democratic processes, civic education, peaceful elections and electoral integrity.
CAN Raises Concern Over Economic Hardship
Okoh also expressed concern over the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, including the rising cost of living, unemployment and pressure on small businesses.
He called for policies that would stimulate productive economic activity, create jobs, support small and medium-sized enterprises and protect vulnerable Nigerians.
“Economic reform cannot become an abstract exercise divorced from the realities of ordinary families,” he said.
Okoh Calls for Stronger Action Against Insecurity
The CAN president also raised concerns over terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and farmer-herder conflicts.
According to him, insecurity has displaced communities, disrupted worship, restricted farmers’ access to their fields and prevented children from accessing education.
Okoh urged the government to strengthen the country’s security architecture and place greater emphasis on preventing attacks rather than only responding after they occur.
“Early warning must lead to early response,” he said, while calling for communities and civil society organisations to play a greater role in identifying emerging threats.
He acknowledged efforts by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to tackle insecurity but said more could be done to improve the performance of security agencies.
“Every Nigerian is looking forward to seeing the end of killings in this nation,” Okoh said.
CAN Warns Against Simplifying Conflicts
Okoh also urged Nigerians and the media to avoid presenting every conflict in Nigeria as a simple Christian-Muslim confrontation.
He said some conflicts have religious dimensions and that genuine cases of religious persecution should not be ignored. However, he noted that ethnicity, land disputes, political interests, criminality and competition for resources could also contribute to conflicts.
“Understanding this complexity does not diminish the reality of persecution where it exists. Rather, it helps us to confront every dimension of insecurity more effectively,” he said.
Okoh said CAN would continue to defend the rights and welfare of Christians, but stressed that such advocacy should not become hostility towards Muslims or other religious communities.
“When a Christian is attacked because of his faith, we will speak. When a Muslim is attacked because of his faith, we should speak. When an innocent Nigerian is killed by terrorists, bandits or criminals, we must all speak,” he said.
He added that every Nigerian is entitled to life, dignity, security and freedom of religion or belief, regardless of faith, ethnicity, state of origin or political affiliation.
‘CAN Is Neither Opposition Party Nor Praise-Singing Organisation’
Okoh said CAN would continue to engage with government based on principle rather than political convenience.
“CAN is neither a government opposition party nor a government praise-singing organisation. We are a Christian institution with a national responsibility,” he said.
The CAN president said the association would support government policies that promote Nigerians’ welfare and cooperate with authorities where such partnerships could advance good governance.
However, he said CAN would speak out whenever citizens’ rights were threatened or the government failed to protect them.
“Where government makes progress, we will acknowledge it. Where government fails to protect citizens, we will say so. Where injustice occurs, we will speak,” Okoh said.
