The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said that its? bribery allegation against President Goodluck Jonathan, over the construction or ‘renovation’ of a church in his village, has nothing to do with religious or ethnic considerations.
In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the issues involved are those of ethics, constitutionality and the rule of law, saying anyone or group that attempts to make it a religious or ethnic issue was doing a great disservice to the nation.
It also urged religious leaders in particular and other opinion leaders in general to always rise above politics and primordial considerations in commenting on such issues.
‘’Sadly, since the bribery allegation came to the fore, we have seen otherwise respectable religious leaders join the fray and used uncomplimentary words just to be seen to be defending the President. We have seen how they attempted to use religion to divide Nigerians. This is unfortunate and must never repeat itself.
‘’Like these unwary religious leaders, we have also read comments from some ethnic jingoists making it look as if the criticisms of the President’s solicitation and acceptance of a church ‘gift’ from a foreign construction company doing business with the government he heads is targeting the South-South or the Niger Delta.
‘’All these developments confirm what we have always known: That this? President is the most divisive Nigerian leader ever, and he and his ‘supporters’ will not hesitate to play the religious or ethnic card even when the issues involved have nothing to do with that.
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