Hayab slams El-Rufai’s divisive remarks on Southern Kaduna
… CAN leader says everything El-Rufai promotes is evil
By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
http://www.newsportng.com.ng The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Reverend John Joseph Hayab, has strongly criticised former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent remarks on the population of Southern Kaduna.
El-Rufai, in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, claimed that the people of Southern Kaduna account for less than 25 percent of the state’s population, insisting he had no regrets over his actions and policies toward the region during his eight years as governor.
Reacting in Kaduna, Reverend Hayab who was the Chairman of CAN in Kaduna state during the El-rufai’s administration described the former governor’s comments as dangerous, divisive and a reflection of deep-seated hatred for the people of Southern Kaduna.
He said El-Rufai’s utterances were consistent with his history of promoting policies that undermined peace and unity in the state.
The CAN leader recalled that during a previous national census exercise, the population of Southern Kaduna was so overwhelming, prompting the Kaduna State Shariah Committee to threaten legal action against the National Population Commission, this episode he said clearly showed the population of the region was significant and could not be dismissed.
Despite the fact that some in the region are pastors who do not marry multiple wives, Rev. Hayab explained that there are families with as many as fifteen or even twenty-three children. Such realities, he noted, demonstrate the region’s population is robust and can never be written off.
Hayab further disclosed that what has often skewed demographic statistics in Kaduna is not a shortage of people in Southern Kaduna but rather the deliberate inflation of figures in other parts of the state to create an illusion of dominance.
The cleric expressed disappointment that El-Rufai could openly boast that he had no regrets for his actions against Southern Kaduna communities. He maintained that such a position only exposed the depth of the former governor’s disdain for the people he once governed.
He also dismissed El-Rufai’s claim that only those who do not know him regard him as a fundamentalist. According to Hayab, such a remark was another attempt to twist the truth, stressing that he personally knew the former governor and was speaking from the painful experiences endured under his administration.
Linking his concerns to the present, Hayab noted that the peace currently being enjoyed in Kaduna State stands in contrast to the hostility that marked El-Rufai’s tenure. He said this reality explains why the former governor appears bitter and angry, as harmony among the people weakens the divisive agenda he once thrived on.
The CAN chairman further explained that such experiences underline the importance of including religion and ethnicity in future census exercises. He said this would help prevent manipulative leaders from distorting population figures and inflicting demographic imbalances that do not exist in reality.
Reverend Hayab therefore urged Nigerians to reject divisive narratives and instead embrace fairness, justice and inclusivity in both political representation and demographic planning. He warned that the nation’s unity can only be strengthened when all citizens are treated with dignity and truth is not sacrificed for political convenience.
