The insinuations making the rounds in Kaduna state that both
Christians and Muslims Clergy collected bribes from the government of President
Goodluck Jonathan to foster his re-election was bolstered yesterday by one
Pastor Kallamu Musa Dikwa, who repeated same allegation against leadership of
the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, last week.
Speaking at a congested news conference in Kaduna yesterday,
Dikwa who once an associate pastor with a northern based Church, but has since
resigned from the ministry to run his own Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO,
Voice of Northern Christian Movement, under which he interfaces with CAN, said
Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) as the next President of
Nigeria are not fit to govern the country.
Dikwa holds a Diploma in “Bible and Theology” from All
Nations For Christ Bib
le Institute International, Benin, 2002, founded by the
late Archbishop Benson Idahosa.
Dikwa, who spoke in a smattering of English, said the
National Leadership of CAN took N7 billion from the Federal Government on the
21st of January, 2014 but that only N3 million was sent to each of the States’
branches of CAN.
He also alleged that it was not the first time that CAN was
involved in corruption.
According to him, in 2013, CAN got $50,000 (N10 million)
from Nigerian Christians in the Diaspora but that only N500,000 was given to
five victims, after which the national leadership of CAN pocketed the rest.
He said he was shocked that CAN was denying knowing him and
the allegations of the bribe:
Said Dikwa: “I greet you all in Jesus’ name. . . I know that
some of you know me or have been hearing me on some of the things that I say
and National CAN has denied. They even have deny me and say I did not exist.
That is why I came to you to confirm that what I said is true. This is not the
first time that they are collecting money, but not from Jonathan.
In 2013, some people came from America. They are our
children, our Christians from Nigeria living in America. We call them CANAAN
(Christians Association of Nigerian Americans).
They gave $50,000 to the victims of Boko Haram. After that
the CAN leader invited three people from Maiduguri and two from Damaturu and
gave them N100,000 each.
The victims know how much they (CAN) collected.
Many of the leaders (Yobe and Borno CAN) started calling me.
They say what happened is wrong and we have to correct it. . . I have documents
here to show you some of the things I have been saying.
(The documents were his past press outings and petitions,
with no relationship to any of the two allegations)
He said that after confronting CAN leadership with newspaper
evidence, and threatening to drag it to the Economic and Financial Crime
Commission, EFCC, CAN said it was going to look for space, buy, build and resettled
some of the victims, which was never done.
According to Dikwa, all his sources are usually players in
every issue he threw up.
He continued: “It was the same way that it happen when
Jonathan went to Kwara in January.
Some one there told me that CAN leadership was given money.
I asked him if they called any newsmen. The man said they did not.
I said, ok, let us wait. After some time somebody called me.
He said he has been giving his share. He said he has been
given N3 million. He said each state was given N3 million.
I called someone in the leadership of National CAN. He told
me that it was a confirmed happening.
I will never give the name of that person even over my dead
body. The states branches of CAN collected the money. But they don’t know how
much it is, whether it is N6 or N7billion.
I have sent text messages to the leadership of CAN telling
them to repent or I will make it open. So that is why I have decided to let the
world know. . .
Some of the CAN leadership have called me and said what
happened was wrong and that it must be corrected. I said yes, it can be done.”
He said that many people have called him all kinds of names,
including threats to his life.
Asked to choose between President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen.
Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) as the next President of Nigeria, he said none of them
was fit to govern the country.
Said Dikwa: “From the way that Jonathan has been handling
Boko Haram, he has not done well. He is not trying. He is not qualified to rule
again. Maybe some people close to him like, Rabiu Kwankwoso of Kano state,
governor Rotimi Ameachi of River state or even Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, can
replace him.
But nobody competed against him in the primary elections.
Maybe I would have said lets vote for that person.
“Buhari has said very bad things in the past and should not
be allowed to rule. What he said in 2003, 2007, 2011 and now, is making youths
in the north to go into violence.
I don’t support that kind of person. Both Jonathan and
Buhari are not good for this country,” he said.
All efforts to reach the national leadership of CAN by our
reporter did not yield fruits at the time of going to Press.
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