The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Monday encouraged the public not to lose hope in the face of the economic reforms implemented by Chief Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The association, in its first meeting with Tinubu since his inauguration nearly eight months ago, expressed support for the government’s efforts in securing the nation.
CAN President Daniel Okoh emphasized the need for patience and perseverance, acknowledging Tinubu’s commitment to national security.
The association had been critical of Tinubu’s predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing the previous administration of inadequately addressing incidents of violence against churches and communities in various regions.
Notably, CAN had previously condemned the killing of over 40 worshipers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, on June 5, 2022.
Despite previous reservations, the CAN leadership commended the current administration for its inclusivity, citing observations of the diverse appointments made by President Tinubu.
The association now pledges its support for the government’s direction and encourages Nigerians to remain hopeful amidst ongoing economic reforms.
“Sincerely, what we found out is that the President is actually sensitive to all the challenges that we have. He’s aware, and we see him making very positive steps, even from the beginning of his administration.
“By the way he has made appointments so far, he has come with a great sense of inclusiveness. And Nigerians have a sense of belonging.
“I tell you that his pronouncements so far and his body language have increased the confidence of Nigerians and we believe that, given the chance, he will do a lot more. We are praying that the Lord will strengthen his hand to be able to do more and turn around the fortunes of this country.”
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Okoh appealed for Nigerians to comprehend that the issues plaguing the country existed before the current administration came into power.
He noted, “We know that there are a lot of challenges. But what we tell our people is that this is just the beginning of this administration, and Nigeria is big.
“What we face now started many years back, and it will take a while to turn around these things.
“But the important thing is that there is an intentional step that the President has taken and is taking to reverse the trend of events, especially in the area of governance; we see it very clearly.”
Therefore, CAN urged Tinubu to continue on the path on which he had begun, declaring its support for him.
“The advice we have for the President is for him to continue on the path that he is now determined to follow.
“He is determined to run a government that is for all, an all-inclusive government, that listens to the people, just like he made a pledge to us that he will continue to listen to us and he has opened the channels for us that anything that we see or any concern that we have, we should always come back to let him know.
“So, we believe that now we have a listening president. And we urge him to continue on that path. And to continue to always look out for those who mean well for this nation and put them to good use,” Okoh advised.
The Christian body said it was at the seat of power to felicitate with Tinubu on his electoral victory.
Following the conclusion of the 2023 general elections, it was stated that “the leadership of CAN opted to extend a courtesy visit to express congratulations to him (Tinubu) for his election and to assure him of our support for his administration.”