The Northern chapter of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, CAN, on Monday, August 15, 2016, called on
security agencies to arrest members of “two dissident groups” who have announced a pullout from CAN.
The two groups are identified as Concerned Christians of Nigeria, CCN, and Northern Nigerian Christians Association, NNCA.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on
behalf of other Northern states’ chairpersons of the umbrella Christian
body, the Borno State chairperson of CAN, Bishop Mohammed Abubakar Naga,
denied any division among the 19 Northern States and FCT.
“We don’t know them. It is not in the
constitution, they are supposed to be apprehended by security agencies
because they are just trying to foment trouble, misunderstanding and
division in the country,” Bishop Naga said on Monday, August 15, 2016.
“They should be arrested because they
are building confusion in the country. Nigeria has had enough troubles,
what is going on is enough for Nigerians.
“It is not true that Christians in
Northern Nigeria have broken away from CAN. Those people who said they
have pulled out from CAN are not representing anybody because they are
not representing states or zones.
“All of us in the 19 states in Northern
Nigeria and FCT were there during the election in Abuja where Dr. Supo
Samson Ayokunle was elected as President of CAN.
“The 20 representatives of each state
and FCT, 20 of us who constitute the chairmen of each state and FCT
voted. All of us voted, we therefore wonder where they were. I mean
those people who are saying they have broken away from CAN. They are on
their own.
“They are saying what they feel they
could say to bring confusion in the body of Christ. They are not
representing Northern Nigeria, they are not representing zones and they
are not representing states. In fact, in the constitution of CAN, there
is nothing like Northern CAN or Southern CAN. We are one and CAN is CAN.
There is no delegate to be produced by South or candidates to be
produced by North.
“What we know is that there are five
blocks in CAN and each block has to produce a candidate. That is all,
they call themselves Concerned Christians of Nigeria (CCN) and Northern
Nigerian Christians (NNC). For us, there is nothing like that. That is
our position and it has never changed.”
According to the bishop, those who were
peddling such rumours and falsehood were agents of disunity who want to
cause crisis in the body of Christ.
He said all the statutory leaders of CAN
in Northern Nigeria, including the Zonal and State chairpersons were
all present during the CAN election.
Naga said, “The election was peacefully
conducted. It has been one of the peaceful elections conducted. So, the
election was sincere and honest. Pulling out of CAN? There is nothing of
that nature. Those who are saying this are just agents of division and
disunity. We are their representatives and nobody speak on our behalf,
except we sit there as executives of Northern CAN.”
He also commended the immediate-past
administration of CAN led by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, for standing by the
Northern Christians during the series of attacks carried out by members
of the Boko Haram Islamic sect.
They called on the new president, Ayokunle, to emulate his predecessor.
Naga said, “The past administration was
one of the most wonderful administration the country and Christian
community had ever experienced. He (Oritsejafor) speaks on our behalf
and was sincerely known in the interior of the North.
“In fact in the face of insurgency, he
had visited us, sent materials and rightly there in the heart of deadly
insurgency. So, it had been a wonderful administration and we are
praying that Ayokunle’s will do more of what we have experienced.”
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