The Lagos State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, spoke to Punch about his recent endorsement of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and how they begged Tinubu not to deny Sanwo-Olu a second term ticket.
When the Bishop was asked why he endorsed Bola Tinubu when the national CAN body took a position against APC that is fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket, he said:
“When the time came for the Christian body to demand a Christian governor in Lagos State, despite the objection of the sitting governor to it, Bola Tinubu accepted that a Christian must also rule as a governor and that was why we had (Akinwunmi) Ambode. After four years of Ambode, he was removed and was not given the opportunity to rule for second term, Babajide Sanwo-Olu won the election. He (Sanwo-Olu) narrowly escaped not being allowed to go for a second term but the church in Lagos also stood and approached Tinubu that he should be allowed because Muslims have ruled Lagos State for 15 years, so Christians should continue at least for another four years and he (Tinubu) agreed and that is why Sanwo-Olu is contesting again. So, those were the things we mentioned at that event that Tinubu had done. For anybody to say he (Tinubu) has done evil to the Church will be a disservice to ourselves and God will not be happy if I accept such.
He also said he never said that God would punish whoever does not vote for Tinubu.
“How will I say such a thing? Do I have their (voters’) ballot papers? But the media want to sell their papers and whatever, that was how they put it. But I have said to people that that was not what I said. We in Lagos cannot go against him because of his antecedents and what he has done for the Church.”