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Sunday, June 12, 2016

Catholic church threatens to pull out of CAN

THE election for the presidency of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, CAN, has assumed a new
twist as the outgoing President, Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor is said to have summoned a meeting
of the President-in-Council, PIC, for tomorrow
amidst reports that the Catholic Secretariat of
Nigeria, CSN, has threatened to pull out of CAN.

Feelers indicated that Dr. Jeremiah Gado, the
candidate of TEKAN/ECWA bloc and alleged
government candidate for the CAN presidency,
has approached an Abuja High Court for unlawful
denial as a candidate in the election. It was
learnt that the TEKAN/ECWA candidate was
actually looking for an interim injunction to stop
the election but the court refused to grant the
request. The court instead asked that the parties
be put on notice and served to enable them
appear before it on Tuesday. A reliable source
close to the umbrella body of Christians
confirmed the development, saying Gado had
approached the court seeking to address his
undue denial as a candidate for the presidential
election and some other issues.
According to the schedule of events, the election
of a new President to succeed Oritsejafor is
billed for Tuesday by the 309 members of the
CAN, NEC. The Electoral College has screened the
only two candidates —Rev. Samson Olasupo
Ayokunle of the Baptist Convention, who polled
eight votes, and Prof. Joseph Otubu of the
Organization of African Instituted Churches
(OAIC), who scored two votes.

According to the Constitution of CAN, the
Electoral College, headed by erstwhile Chaplain
to two Nigerian presidents and Head, Aso Rock
Villa Chapel, Rev. William Okoye, was expected
to screen the nominated candidates and
recommend two of them for the National
Executive Council for election. The Catholic
Secretariat of Nigeria, CSN and the Christian
Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Pentecostal
Fellowship of Nigeria, CPFN/PFN, which
nominated the outgoing president, did not
present candidates for the election.

Following the unresolved dispute in the TEKAN/
ECWA bloc the number of candidates for the CAN
president was reduced to just two which, some
now reason, should have made the Electoral
College to recommend the two to NEC for the
election.

Meanwhile there were indications last night that
the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, CSN, has
threatened to severe relationship with CAN,
unless the impasse is resolved and adequate
opportunity is given to every candidate who had
indicated interest in the presidential contest.

Details were sketchy but the CSN was said to
have threatened that they would pull out of CAN
if the election was not cancelled. Our source,
who said it was still top secret as at yesterday
evening, claimed that the Catholic Secretariat,
making up one bloc of CAN, had sent in a letter
demanding that the election was
cancelled...”because indirectly they are looking
for an ECWA man to lead CAN.”

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