Northern Christians Ditch CAN, Revert to Regional Association

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

A group operating under the aegis of Concerned Christians of Northern Nigerian on Sunday said it would not accept or recognise Reverend Supo Ayokunle as the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Addressing a joint press conference in Jos, the Plateau state capital, Rev Luka Shehu and Mr Peter Doka, who both spoke on behalf of the group, said, “What happened on Tuesday, 20th July, 2016, at the Christian Centre, where Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor handed over CAN to Rev. Supo Ayodele was contrary to CAN constitution and the greatest travesty of justice, lies, manipulation and imposition by men in white collar and cassocks.

“In the spirit of freedom of choice and liberty to choose, we hereby state emphatically that those who wish to continue membership of CAN in the North are free to do so. However, considering our common shared values and peculiarities as Christians from the North and in the absence of any understanding or compassion from CAN, and after wide consultations amongst Christian leaders, traditional rulers, youths and women, we under this auspices from the North have unanimously decided to revert to the pre-independence Northern Nigeria Christian Association (NNCA).

“Therefore, we reject every process of the 14th June 2016 election of the president of CAN as it was a process where CAN constitution and Christian leaders were manipulated with impunity.

“In Oritsejafor’s desperation to hand over to his cronies, puppets and allies, they hurriedly ratified the stage-managed elections of 14th June 2016, and the former CAN president, with mockery to due process and integrity, handed over to his choice.”

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