PATRIOTIC Christians across the country, on Thursday, strongly condemned reports that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is divided over the just concluded election into its presidency.
Christians, under the auspices of the Patriotic Christian Youth of Nigeria (PCYN) also insisted that CAN election was not conducted against any court order as being peddled in some quarters. New CAN President, Rev Ayokunle The President of PCYN, Evang. Simon Nasso, who stated this in a press conference in Abuja, said a lot of rumours were being peddled around by some disgruntled elements, who wanted power by all means to discredit the association. Nasso said: “It is not true that CAN is divided, we are not divided, every bloc that made up CAN have their delegates in the meeting and participated in the election.” On the rumour that Catholic bloc had pulled out of CAN, he said, “the leadership of CAN, understanding the need for peaceful resolution of issues and appreciating the importance of the Catholic bloc’s participation, agreed that the CAN NEC will sit and resolve the grievances of the Catholic bloc before the commencement of the election. “At the meeting, special opportunity was given to the Catholic bloc which was fully represented in the meeting, but the most unfortunate aspect of the whole issue is that the leader of the Catholic bloc who is also the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria who signed the letter was represented in the meeting as it has always been the case. “Unfortunately, the representative came with a standing order that they were free to participate in the meeting but must abstain from voting if election will be conducted.
Notwithstanding, the CAN leadership gave the Catholic bloc the opportunity to express their feelings which the Bishop’s Representative did quite well and members responded with convincing position but the 10 delegates from Catholic could not vote because they couldn’t reach the Bishops with the result before the end of the meeting. “On the issue of denial of a particular candidate from participation in the election process.
We have made several clarifications on this matter but for the records, no CAN leader prevented any candidate from participation in the election. As being the practice, letters were written to all the blocs to present candidates for the election. “This also confirmed the fact that all blocs are qualified to contest for the office of the president at every given time in line with her constitution. It’s only the bloc that can present a candidate and that if a particular candidate could not get his bloc to present him does not mean that CAN should be divided or close.
“The report of the Electoral College is very clear on the efforts made to settle the TEKAN/ECWA bloc internal disputes. It’s complete falsehood to mislead the public that it is the turn of TEKAN/ECWA to produce the President of CAN. We regard these insinuations as end time desperation! “On the issue of court injunction stopping the CAN NEC from holding the elections. We have it on sound record that no competent court gave any order stopping the National CAN Election. Rather a copy of the court ruling confirmed that Rev. Jeremiah Gado’s application for injunction was refused by the court. It’s unfortunate to read on dailies that CAN conducted election despite court order stopping it. “On the non participation in the election by some blocs. TEKAN/ECWA bloc had all her 10 delegates present in the meeting.
Those who argued for the election and those against the election were all present and equal opportunities were given to them all. “That someone did not cast his vote because he does not want a particular candidate or that someone walked out of a meeting because his argument was not accepted should not create noise for God sake. “On the issue of Northern and Southern CAN or Southern and Northern CAN candidates. The Bible is very explicit about evidence of those trying to tear the church apart; some claimed to be for Apostle Paul while others Barnabas. “For the record, there is no Northern or Southern CAN in the current CAN constitution. The CAN constitution provides for the states and the geo-political zones for ease of administration only. “Those telling you that the North will break out of CAN are just deceiving the public. They are not in the CAN Constitution in the first place, if we must say the truth, they are a set of disgruntled former CAN leaders and their supporters who are trying to find a place of leadership in CAN.”
