The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has knocked Garba Shehu, a spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, over his statement on calls for secession.

Shehu, at an event on Tuesday, had said that President Buhari will not be “bullied by secessionists who wan to break up Nigeria.”

“So, this thing about secession is they had used it in the past. You create secession and break up Nigeria and then you intimidate the sitting leader and then he opens the vault and he brings money to settle people.

“President Buhari will pay no one. He is not going to pay, and now it is clear that having ignored all of that, reasonable opinions are coming from those states and from those regions,” he said.

Reacting to the statement, Vice Chairman of CAN (North), Rev. John Hayab said history will not be kind to President Buhari if Nigeria crumbles under his administration.

Gov. Yahaya flays indiscriminate building of LGP depots in Gombe

“It is not cheering news that many groups in Nigeria now are clamouring for secession. Everyone will desire to see Nigeria growing as a big, united, strong and dependable nation. But the current realities have created room for more people and interest groups to seek secession from what they see as a nation without hope or future.

“As our president, you cannot expect Buhari not to talk tough. However, history will not be kind to him, if this nation breaks up during his tenure as president. The challenge now is whether all that is happening now across every state and region is just to intimidate or bully the president?

“The truth is that things are not going on well and the President should come up with measures to convince Nigerians that he means well and he is truly in charge. Claiming that he is not intimidated by the threats from secessionist is only a display of fake arrogance that this administration is known for,” the statement read in part.