Northern Christians in disarray over CAN

Christians of northern Nigeria have said that they are dumping the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), over alleged impunity and imposition of association president.

This is coming as a group operating under the aegis of Concerned Christians of Northern Nigeria, said it was not going to accept or recognise Reverend Supo Ayokunle as the President of CAN.

At a joint press conference in Jos, Plateau State capital, Rev Luka Shehu and Mr Peter Doka, speaking for the group disassociated itself from Ayokunle led CAN.

It described the process that saw him emerge as the president of the association as being contrary to CAN Constitution.

Read also: Ayokunle is new CAN president

However, CAN in the 19 northern states and Abuja, on Monday refuted the reports that they had pulled out of the mother body.

Rev Sunday Ibrahim, CAN northern states Financial Secretary, while denying the purported pull out in Kaduna, argued that there was never a time the state chapters planned to pull out of the apex body.

He however pointed that there are issues northern Christians want the parent body to look into which has not yet been addressed, adding that the talk about North abandoning CAN for NNCA was only opinion by some Christian stakeholders in the region.

“We have raised some concerns about some developments at the national level and sought for redress, but we never considered pulling out as an option. We are part of CAN and will remain in CAN.

“If you go through the publications very well, it said Northern Christians under the auspices of Concerned Christians of Nigeria (CCN) and Northern Nigerian Christians (NNC). Northern CAN was not part of the press briefing.  As Christians and as Nigerians, they have the right to air their views and opinion,” Ibrahim said.

By Ebere Ndukwu …