Some youths and community leaders from Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State have rejected the aspiration of a House of Representatives hopeful, Mathias Ezeaku, over his denunciation of Christianity and public burning of the Holy Bible.

Mr Ezeaku, a worshipper of traditional African religion, is seeking the ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 House of Representatives election to represent the Uzo-Uwani/Igbo-Etiti Federal Constituency.

The aspirant has for years remained a vocal critic of Christianity, promoting traditional worship while describing Christianity and Islam as foreign religions allegedly designed to deceive Africans.

Ezeaku, who hails from Nrobo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, has stirred controversy in the predominantly Christian South-east region over several social media posts and videos attacking Christian beliefs and clerics.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its leader, Chukwuma Obinna, a group known as Concerned Uzo-Uwani Youths accused the aspirant of promoting religious intolerance and hate speech against Christians and Muslims.

The group said Mr Ezeaku’s repeated attacks on Christianity, including the public burning of the Bible, posed a threat to peaceful coexistence in the constituency.

“The Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency is made up of peace-loving people from different religious backgrounds, including Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers. Any individual with a history of intolerance and divisive rhetoric should not be entrusted with political leadership,” the statement read.

The youths attached a Facebook link containing a video clip showing Mr Ezeaku burning a Holy Bible while referring to Christian clerics as deceivers.

A reverse image search conducted by newsmen reportedly showed that the video was first uploaded on Facebook on January 23, 2022.

The group further argued that Mr Ezeaku’s ideology contradicts the values associated with the NDC’s sole presidential aspirant, .

According to the statement, while Obi has consistently supported the role of the Church in education, healthcare and social development, Ezeaku has allegedly maintained that “nothing good comes from the church.”

“We are worried that someone who has consistently attacked Christianity and ridiculed other religious beliefs may use public office to deepen religious hostility. Our constituency cannot afford religious conflict or unnecessary controversies,” the group added.

The youths urged political parties and voters to prioritise candidates with records of tolerance, unity and peaceful engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.

They also called on security agencies to closely monitor statements capable of inciting religious hatred and urged politicians to focus on issue-based campaigns rather than divisive rhetoric.

Reacting to the allegations on Thursday morning, Mr Ezeaku dismissed the opposition against his aspiration as “propaganda.”

He defended his decision to burn the Bible, arguing that Christians also destroy shrines and traditional oracles which practitioners of African religion consider sacred.

“Everyone is entitled to his or her choice to say, I am done with this (Christianity), I want to follow traditional religion,” he said.

“The reason why they burned all oracles, our way of life, was because they belonged to them. So, anybody has the full right to reject anything that he’s practising that he doesn’t need again,” he added.