A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and
Deputy National Secretary of the opposition All
Progressives Congress, Nasir el-Rufai, says he is not
perturbed by the seven-day ultimatum given to him by
the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria.
El-Rufai had, in an interview with a national newspaper
(not The PUNCH) described the CAN President, Pastor
Ayo Oritsejafor, as the “propaganda chief” of the ruling
Peoples Democratic Party; adding that he “knows who
gave him (Oritsejafor) his private jet.”
But the CAN leadership on Sunday asked el-Rufai to,
within seven days, mention the name of the person who
bought a private jet for Oritsejafor, threatening that
failure to do so will force the association to “open up”
on the former minister’s “dirty life.”
However, some of el-Rufai’s Twitter followers have
tweeted at him, saying they were worried about the
ultimatum.
One of his followers with the name Demola, who
tweeted at el-Rufai on Monday asked, “CAN gives @
elrufai seven days or what will happen?”
Responding to this, el-Rufai tweeted, “Nothing. And I
am waiting for the days to pass. Hehehe.”
Meanwhile, el-Rufai’s statement has pitched some of his
social media fans against him. The former minister had
posted the full text of the interview on his Facebook
page.
Some of his followers on the social network described
his diatribe against Oritsejafor as rude and uncalled for.
According to many of them, insulting the CAN
President, who is also the head of the Christian
community in Nigeria, amounts to taking a swipe at the
generality of Christians in the country. To this end,
some of them dropped angry comments on his
Facebook page.
“Look Nasir, withdraw those statements you are making
against a man of God! But, if you still insist, then, the
anointing upon his life will respond to you drastically.
Remember that a man who makes trouble for others is
also making trouble for himself. Thank you,” one
Okechukwu Chukwuemeka wrote.
Osita Ndidi-Opurum described el-Rufai’s allegations as
“rubbish” and one that is capable of causing
disaffection between the faithful of the two main
religions.
“All this lengthy speech amounts to talking rubbish and
insulting Christians and their leader in Nigeria. When
can you (el-Rufai) ever be a man? You don’t even have
respect for those in authority. I wonder where and how
you will feel in 2015 if your preferred presidential
candidate does not win the election. May be you will
run out of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, some Nigerians have slammed the CAN
leadership and asked it to leave its battle for God to
fight. One Emmanuel Chidiogo in a Twitter post asked,
“Is CAN trying to fight for God? All the rain of abuses on
@elrufai is uncalled for and immature.”
Some Nigerians, while reacting to the ultimatum on
various social networking sites, said the ultimatum
appeared more like blackmailing el-Rufai. Those who
belong to this group wondered why CAN waited for a
time when “unguarded statements” were made against
its president before threatening to expose the “dirty life”
of el-Rufai.
“So, CAN is using it now as blackmail when they should
have, indeed, exposed him as genuine Christians
without giving him conditions. It shows how biased all
of them are,” one Auchman stated on punchng.com .
As if that was not enough, some Nigerians said
Oritsejafor made himself susceptible to such attack due
to the alleged ostentatious life he lives.
A Facebook user, Augustine Oregie-Okpomeh wrote, “In
the first place, what are pastors doing with private jets
worth billions of naira in a country where a large
percentage of your members can ill afford three-square
meals daily? Christ never preached expensive lifestyles
and neglect of the poor while He was alive. You
(Oritsejafor) called the insults to yourself!”
Arguing in line with Oregie-Okpomeh, a reader on
punchng.com , Frank stated, “Inasmuch as I don’t
support El-Rufai’s statement concerning Christians, the
question is: Is Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor a saint? Where
does he have the money to purchase a private jet?
“The so called Pastor Oritsejafor is a disgrace to
Christendom in Nigeria. Anyway, he should allow God
to fight for Himself; who is he to fight for God? Our
Lord Jesus Christ oversees the affairs of Christians and
Muslims alike; so, allow God to fight for Himself.”
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