Following a recent November press conference of the Youth Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria at Osun State CAN office in which YOUWICAN asked political parties to field only Christian candidates, church leaders under the aegis of Osun Pastors and Churches of God for Development have called on the good people of the state to disregard the call saying it does not represent the view of majority of Osun Christians. The state coordinator of the group, Prophet Omokehinde Theophilus Adelakin said despite being a Christian body, they chose to follow Muslim Dr Saliu Orisunlagba who had demonstrated his ability to be fair to non-Muslims many times.
According to the Osogbo Celestial Church of Christ Pastor, Adelaki , ” No other aspirant is close to him in this. Let’s face the facts now. Only Muslim governors in Osun have picked Christian deputies. Christian governors have been picking Christian deputies. Is that not Christian-Christian? Are Christians in any way close to the population of Muslims and Isese people in Osun? We have made our choice on facts and merit. We want performance and delivery of good governance not where or how you worship God. We have found a Muslim that will take Osun higher. He is an outstanding, talented and experienced leader and exemplary professional medical doctor and humanitarian loved by people. We have been in politics for many years and we have tried many people. This mallam is tested and trusted. Are you saying we should ignore our best striker just because he is a Muslim? He has done Osun proud in many ways in different places. We don’t know any among the Christian aspirants that can match him in those important areas and this time, we will vote personality and performance and not party or religion. ”
Another spokesperson of the group, Evangelist Adebisi Damilare also said the body paid several visits to Orisunlagba Secretariat to declare their support to Dr Saliu knowing fully well his religion. Mr Damilare described any call for only Christian candidates as selfish, misplaced and retrogressive in Osun. ” Since creation in 1991, six out of the nine leaders of Osun are Christians and everybody knows. Our own is to support a leader that will develop Osun and help the masses. We are going to support our man in any party and l can tell you that any party presenting a Christian this time is most likely going to lose. If Muslims don’t matter in Osun, why did one person lie publicly that he was a Muslim just to win? Those telling parties to field only Christians are ignorant of Osun peculiarities. If we vote Muslim for Muslim, Christian for Christian, Isese for Isese, Osun will have a Muslim-Muslim ticket almost forever. Let’s stop misleading Nigerians and the foreigners.”
Political analysts have been discussing how the endorsements and other events in the build-up to the coming election will shape Osun and the ambitions of all aspirants including Dr Saliu who was NNPP gubernatorial candidate in 2022.
