FACT CHECK: Are bishops, pastors who attended Tinubu’s unveiling of Shettima fake?

PM News

The social media has been awashed with several unverified reports as to the identities of pastors, priests and bishops who attended the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) unveiling of Senator Kashim Shettima as running mate to its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Wednesday in Abuja. The presence of the clerics seemed to have overshadowed the main event as people, especially the Christian folks0 read meaning to the whole scenario.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been crying foul since Tinubu declared Shettima as his running mate and has attended to play up religious card, calling on its members not to vote any party running on a Muslim-Muslim ticket. Likewise, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) towed the same line with CAN.

There has been tension in the land over the supposed vexed issue. No amount of explanation from the Tinubu’s camp could calm the agitation. The line seems to have been drawn as 2023 presidency is purely going to tow the line of ethnicity and religion.

To the Christian community’s consternation, bishops and pastors were seen at Tinubu’s unveiling of Shettima as running mate, then anger spreads in the land.

CAN issued a statement disowning the clerics at the event, saying they were fake. The body said they were hired mechanics and artisans by the APC with robes on them to give the impression that they were bishops and pastors.

The Vice President of CAN (19 Northern States and Abuja) and chairman in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said Tinubu, was free to “hire mechanics and other artisans and sew clerical garments for them.”

He said, “The people we saw at the unveiling of Shettima paraded as Bishops are people who did not have enough time to learn how to wear Bishop garments. Take a closer look at their photo and you will see another Nollywood movie.