To further demonstrate its support for the proposed national conference, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has constituted a six-man committee to put together the body’s position on the dialogue.
Inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Monday, CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor described President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to allow a national dialogue as a right step in the right direction.
The committee is chaired by Prof. Emele Uka. To serve as members are: Mrs. Kate Okparake, Apostle Etimbule Sunday, Elder John Achimugu, Chief Chukwuma Igwe and Elder Albert Uko (Secretary).
“Today for me and for CAN is historic and important because we are taking an important step in the right direction,” wondering why some people would oppose a platform to express views on the future of this country,” he said.
Oritsejafor said further that President Jonathan “has taken a bold step that will address all the issues about Nigeria. As CAN president, I want to congratulate the President for taking this step. We are prepared and set for it. So, we are setting up a special committee that will draft the presentation we will make an exciting time. It is a challenging time. No nation grows without challenges.
“Sometimes, I get troubled about the way some people reason. A man has taken a bold step. So many people have been calling for a national conference. Suddenly, people are saying the timing is wrong.
“I remember some people then said that the President should dialogue with Boko Haram. We said no, but he went ahead and negotiated with criminals. Where we are now is very critical.
“We need to sit down and talk. Let everyone bring the card to the table and the fact that we can talk, we would have achieved something. This is an incredible opportunity for us to sit down and talk. The positive side outweighs the negative side.”
On the argument about the so called no-go-areas, the CAN President opined that Nigerians should be free to discuss without barriers, insisting “everything should be brought to the table.
“To be honest with you, I don’t know what anybody means with no go area. A dialogue is a dialogue. I really don’t understand. If we are going to sit down to talk, then we should do that. We should be free to discuss”.
