National Confab Chair Denies Muslim Agenda

Chairman, National Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd), yesterday said there is no plan to undermine the interest of Christians at the conference.
Kutigi, who spoke through his Assistant Secretary (Media and Communications) Mr. Apandem James, described as misleading the protest of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over the composition of the conference's committee on religion.
CAN on Tuesday faulted the composition of the religion committee alleging that Kutigi deliberately tilted the composition of the committee in favour of Muslims.
The Christian apex body specifically said that Kutigi tactically chose Alhaji Nurudeen Lemu as Chairman of Religion committee in order to control the committee from the back door.
But Kutigi noted that there was no truth in the claim.
The statement reads: "Our attention has been drawn to a misleading statement issued by Mr Sunny Oibe, who signed as the Director (National Issues) in the Secretariat of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). There is no truth whatsoever in the unfortunate alarm raised in the press statement which tends to give the impression of an attempt to undermine Christians in the National Conference.
"In trying to whip up unnecessary sentiments, Oibe claimed that the Committee on Religion is made up of 12 Muslims and eight Christians. That is not correct. The Committee has 21 members – 11 Muslims and 10 Christians.

"It must be noted that delegates were asked to submit names of three committees they would prefer to serve, in order of preference. Seven Christians indicated Religion as their first choice, four as second and two as third choice.
"That brought the total number of Christians to 13. Three Muslims made Religion their first choice, seven made it their second choice and eight made it their third choice bringing the total number to 20.
"However, some of those who had other committees as first and second choices were placed in the primary committees of choice leaving the Committee on Religion with a lesser number than was required to form a full Committee.
"It must also be noted that the official list of delegates showed that both Muslims and Christians have six representations each; which means that only 12 out of the 492 delegates are at the conference as Christian and Muslim leaders."