The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council has condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly hiring fake bishops to attend the unveiling of Kashim Shettima as the Vice Presidential candidate of the ruling party.
Bellnews Online reports that there were mixed reactions on Wednesday after some alleged Christian clerics attended the unveiling of the former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima as the APC vice presidential candidate for the 2023 election.
In what looks like an attempt to make Nigerians believe that the APC Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has the backing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Christians, the ruling party reportedly hired unknown bishops to attend the event.
In a statement on Wednesday, the National President of the Council, Okwu Nnabuike and the National Secretary, Obinna Achionye, expressed dismay at the presence of fake bishops at the APC event.
The council stated that it was frightening and shocking that the ruling party could go to the extent of hiring people to dress as bishops and pastors for the event.
The council expressed worry over the level of desperation of the ruling APC to hire persons to pose as bishops, adding that the action is a wake-up call to all Nigerians.
It said that no level of gimmick would change the fact that Tinubu decided to toy with the unity and collective good of all segments of the country.
The statement reads: “We are awed by the level of desperation being displayed by the APC presidential campaign group.
Every well-meaning Nigerian should also be concerned because such persons do not mean well for the country.
“If the Tinubu campaign team could go as far as hiring people from the streets and giving them bishopric attires just to claim acceptance by the Christian community, then anything else is possible.
“Frankly, we are troubled by that show of shame; we are worried over that level of desperation and it is a warning sign, a wake-up call to all Nigerians.
“To worsen the matter, the hirelings were seen sharing money openly at a popular hotel in Abuja just a few minutes after the event.
“How can we explain the fact that the same Tinubu who could not find a competent Christian as his running mate, was able to find hordes of street urchins who paraded themselves as Bishops? So, after all, Christians are now important to the Tinubu campaign. This is hypocrisy to the highest level and we urge Nigerians to be watchful.”