Kaduna – The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)
in the 19 Northern States and FCT, on Monday
refuted media reports that they had pulled out of
the mother body.
Rev. Sunday Ibrahim, the Financial Secretary, CAN
Northern States, denied the purported pull out
while speaking in Kaduna.
Ibrahim, who is also the association’s Secretary in
Kaduna State, said that there was no time the state
chapters contemplated pulling out of the apex
body.
“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,” he said.
He emphasised that it was not the 19 northern
states CAN that pulled out of the apex body, but
some Christian stakeholders in the region.
“People should not confuse them with CAN in the
19 northern states and the FCT; 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.
“They are simply exercising their fundamental
rights of freedom of speech and freedom of
association,” he said.
The official, however, urged the apex body to call
aggrieved members to a round-table to amicably
resolve all pending disagreements.
CCN and the NNC had at a press briefing on Sunday
in Jos, announced their decision to pull out of the
apex Christian body.
The groups said they had adopted the pre-
independence name of Northern Nigerian Christian
Association (NNCA) due to alleged political
intrigues, travesty of justice and corruption in CAN.
Rev. Luka Shehu of CCN and Hon. Peter Luka of
NNC, at the press conference in Jos, also accused
CAN of neglecting northern Christians affected by
insurgency in the North-East.
They alleged that the immediate past CAN President,
Ayo Oritsejafor, deliberately frustrated the
candidature of Rev. Jeremiah Gado of the TEKAN/
ECWA bloc, to prevent the emergence of a
northerner as CAN president.
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