CAN Kicks Against CJN Comments On Sharia Law

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Sunday , described moves to add some section of the Sharia laws in to the country constitution as provocative and unacceptable.

CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle, who made this known called for the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammed, over his alleged religious bias.

Ayokunle made the call in his reaction to the CJN’s call for the integration of Sharia law in the country’s penal code through a constitutional amendment.

CAN president in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, urged Justice Mohammed to retract the statement because it can “provoke a religious crisis in the country.”

According to the statement :“Our attention has been drawn to the advocacy of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed, for the amendment of the Constitution with a view to adding more Sharia contents.

“Justice Muhammed reportedly made the call while declaring open the 20th Annual Judges Conference at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Faculty of Law’s Moot Court.

“We have not seen the full text of the paper presented and we learnt the Chief Justice was represented at the event. So, it is difficult to know if the speech was that of the Chief Justice or his representative.

“We don’t believe that such a reckless and provocative statement could be made by the number one judicial officer in the country.

“How could the CJN say ‘We as Muslims have the numbers to amend the constitution’? It is not possible. It is either he was misquoted outrightly or quoted out of context.

“Asking for constitutional amendment with a view to adding more to the Sharia contents is ill-timed, provocative and unacceptable.

“Was the Chief Justice of Nigeria put there deliberately for the promotion of Islamic matters or to be an unbiased and fair judge for all irrespective of religion? It appears from this statement (if he made it) that he was put there for Islamisation agenda.

“Those in the government are warned not to use the cheap popularity or acceptance they seek to set two religious practitioners against each other.

“This type of statement, if true, is enough for the President of the country to initiate the removal of this Chief Justice from office “,it added .