El-Rufai’s religious bill a bomb, says PFN

Monday, March 21, 2016 4:44 pm

Nasir El-Rufai: PFN says religious preaching bill a bomb

Femi Adi /Kaduna

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Monday said Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s religious bill before Kaduna State House of Assembly has latent explosive heat that can set Kaduna State on fire if it is not withdrawn.

Addressing journalists in Kaduna, Chairman of the PFN, Kaduna State chapter, Reverend Professor Femi Ehinmidu alongside representatives from churches within Kaduna metropolis said, the body will do everything legal to ensure that the rights of Christians to preach are not curtailed.

According to him , there is no basis for restricting and regulating religious activities .

“We expect the Government of Kaduna State instead of delving into sensitive religious matter shiuld ppace priority on how to put food on the table of every family .

“It is unimaginable to see our erudite Governor exhuming a military era edit which came into being when the constitution was suspended. It smacks of mischief.

“Now with this bill that he has sent to the house, he is opening up new vistas of hostilities‎ between Christians and Muslims when biased implementation is carried out if the bill is passed into law.”

He submitted that the bill is obnoxious and directly offends Christian faith.

While explaining that Bible commands Christians to , ” Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and 1 Thesselonians 5 vs 29 also said “pray without ceasing” this is the life wire of the Christian religion” , Reverend Ehinmidu pointed out that taking away the rights to preach and evangelise is telling the Christians not to practise their religion as commanded by the Lord Jesus.

“There are many laws that legislate on trampling on the rights of other people. Let those laws take full course, the bill should not take Kaduna State backward. We oppose the bill in its entirety and we shall do everything legal to ensure that our rights as Christians are not curtailed.

“We call on well meaning Nigerians and relevant stakeholders to prevail on the Government of Kaduna State to withdraw that vexing bill before Kaduna State House of Assembly.

“The bill has latent explosive heat that can set Kaduna State on fire if not tamed with proper stakeholders engagements or better still withdraw the ‎bill from being processed in the house of assembly and use existing laws to address the re-emerging religious challenges.”

According to him, the Nigeria constitution guarantees freedom of worship and rights to propagate religious beliefs.Adding that Kaduna State government is not wiser than the whole lot of eminent Nigerians ,who gave the nation the constitution.

The executive bill on religious activities in Kaduna State seek to contain hate speeches, licenced preachers, contain use of loud speakers among others.