By Mohammad Ibrahim
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Senator Representing Kaduna Central, in Nigeria’s National Assembly, Shehu Sani, sunday said the proposed religious bill by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State to regulate public preaching in the state is absolutely wrong.
The Senator pointed out that the State Governor has no right to regulate or issue license to Religious preachers in the state.
Senator Shehu Sani described the law which the governor was trying to review as a draconian decree, which has no place in a democratic system of government.
Senator Shehu Sani stated this in Kaduna, shortly after receiving award of excellence by Youth wing of Ansarul-deen Association of Nigeria, during their 40 years anniversary and fund raising for Youth Development Centre and purchase of 18 seater bus for Da’awah.
Senator Sani explained that it was painful to receive a merit award from the group when majority of Nigerians are suffering.
“It’s painful to receive this merit award when majority of Nigerians are still expecting good governance. Nigerians are facing lots of challenges and we the elected leaders cannot continue to give them excuses.
“They did not elect us to lament, they didn”t elect us to give them excuses. We were elected to give them good governance. I’m not the kind of person that will see black and say it’s white. Whether we are in same party or not I will not see wrong and say it’s right.
“I did that during the military era and I will continue to tell the truth even now. Nigerians spent hours under sun to vote for us and so we must not fail them. We must do what the people want and not what we want as leaders, because they voted for us.
“This is why we say the proposed religious bill in Kaduna State is absolutely wrong and we will not accept anybody to licence any preacher, because people have the right to practice their religion as enshrine in the constitution.
“Nobody can violate the constitution, because freedom of religion is enshrined in the constitution. We are also calling on the state governor not to over tax the people, because they have suffered a lot under the 16 years of PDP,” he said.
The Senator also urged Nigerians to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari administration to succeed, saying whether we like it or not the president has succeeded in tackling the insurgents in North East.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is really working for Nigeria and for the masses of this country. Therefore, we must continue to pray for him to succeed,” he said.
The Senator also announced donation of 2 million naira for the completion for the Ansarul-deen Youth Centre. Other people who received the merit award for their contribution to humanity, include former Director-General Media and Publicity to former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Maiyaki, Kaduna NASFAT branch Chairman, Abdulwaheed Adepoju and NASFAT Kaduna branch Chief Missioner/ Zonal missioner Imam Marooph Raji among others.