The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Sunday described the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) as a promoter of bad governance, divisiveness and injustice in Nigeria.
CAN was reacting to the Muslim body’s remarks on its complaint on the alleged lopsided appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
NSCIA had earlier this month accused its Christian counterpart of steadily engaging in blackmail when things failed to go their way.
The body warned it would not allow CAN falsehood and its propensity for character assassination of people on the basis of their religious identity to stand.
But in a statement titled: “Re: NSCIA Accuses CAN of Campaign of Calumny over Shortlisted Justice of the Court of Appeal: A Rebuttal,” issued by its General Secretary, Barr. Joseph Daramola, CAN said with such unfair comments NSCIA had condescended from the lofty heights of decorum to the gutters of smear and mudslinging.
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to a Press Statement issued by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) where the Council used vulgar, immature language and unprintable words to describe the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in its bid to justify the obvious lopsided appointments of the Federal Government in favour of its members.
“The Council was smart by half when it picked an example of just one arm of government without addressing the totality of fundamental questions on all the arms of government.
“Should it not have been better for the Council to have been bold enough to examine the entirety of appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari as serially referenced by CAN.
“The NSCIA evaded those troubling issues that are well known not only to Nigerians but members of the international community; those knotty issues that have pushed our country on the edge of a precipice.
“By so doing, NSCIA has unwittingly exposed itself as a promoter of bad governance, divisiveness and injustice in Nigeria under the Buhari administration.
“We are disappointed with the tone of the highest Islamic body in the country for the abysmal and tragic condescension knowing that the Council is made up of eminent and highly respected personalities.
“But we will not join them in the mudslinging because we chose maturity, candour, moderation and objectivity over parochialism and fundamentalism because we have the facts and figures to prove our points beyond any (un)reasonable doubts.”