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Tag: CAN

  • Motailatu backs CAN leader Ayokunle

    Motailatu backs CAN leader Ayokunle

    The process that led to the emergence of Rev. Supo Ayokunle as president-elect of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was flawless and incontestable, Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW) has said.

    The church, which Elder Prof. Joseph Otubu belongs to, said it has no objection or complaint with the process that led to the defeat of its General Evangelist at the poll.

    In a statement by its General Secretary, Special Apostle Samuel Adekoya, the church’s Prelate and Supreme Head, Baba Aladura Dr. Israel Akinadewo, said the church is willing to work with Ayokunle to reposition CAN for greater impact.

    It said those allegedly working towards scuttling the inauguration of the new executives of the umbrella Christian body should have a rethink.

    MCCSW said: “In view of the recent matter emanating from the outcome of the CAN presidential election, the Prelate and Supreme Head of MCCSW, restates the support and total acceptance of the process, which produced Rev Ayokunle and Elder (Professor) Otubu, as the President-elect and Vice President-elect respectively…

    “Our church is committed to the unity of the Body of Christ in Nigeria, and we will absolutely work with the new president in repositioning CAN.”

  • Election didn’t divide us – CAN

    Election didn’t divide us – CAN

    Christians across the country, yesterday condemned rumours that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is divided over the just concluded election to elect its president.

    Christians, under the auspices of the Patriotic Christian Youth of Nigeria (PCYN) also insisted that CAN election was not conducted against any court order as being peddled in some quarters.

    The President of PCYN, Evang. Simon Timothy Nasso, who stated this in Abuja at a news conference, said: “It is not true that CAN is divided, we are not divided, every bloc that made up CAN have their delegates in the meeting and participated in the election.”

    On the rumour that Catholic bloc had pulled out of CAN, Nasso said; “the leadership of CAN, understanding the need for peaceful resolution of issues and appreciating the importance of the Catholic bloc’s participation, agreed that the CAN NEC will sit and resolve the grievances of the Catholic bloc before the commencement of the election.

    “At the meeting, special opportunity was given to the Catholic bloc who was fully represented in the meeting, but the most unfortunate aspect of the whole issues is that the leader of the Catholic bloc who is also the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria who signed the letter was represented in the meeting as it has always been the case.

    “Unfortunately, the representatives came with a standing order that they were free to participate in the meeting but must abstain from voting if election will be conducted. Notwithstanding, the CAN leadership gave the Catholic bloc the opportunity to express their feelings which the Bishop’s representative did quite well and members responded with convincing position but the 10 delegates from Catholic could not vote because they couldn’t reach the Bishops with the result before the end of the meeting.

    “On the issue of denial of a particular candidate from participation in the election process. We have made several clarifications on this matter but for the records, no CAN leader prevented any candidate from participation in the election. As being the practice, letters were written to all the blocs to present candidates for the election. This also confirmed the fact that all blocs are qualify to contest for the office of the president at every given time in line with her constitution.

    “It’s only the bloc that can present a candidate and that if a particular candidate could not get his bloc to present him does not mean that CAN should be divided or close. On the issue of Northern and southern CAN or southern and Northern CAN candidates. The Bible is very explicit about evidence of those trying to tear the church apart; some claimed to be for Apostle Paul while others Barnabas.

    “For the record, there is no Northern or Southern CAN in the current CAN constitution. The CAN constitution provides for the states and the geo-political zones for ease of administration only. Those telling you that the North will break out of CAN are just deceiving the public. They are not in the CAN Constitution in the first place.”

     

  • Ayokunle emerges new CAN president

    Ayokunle emerges new CAN president

    President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), Rev. Supo Ayokunle, has emerged the new president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

    Ayokunle defeated Elder Joseph Otubu of the Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Movement (MCCSW) with 54 votes to 28.

    The outgoing president of the body, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, announced the result at 2:30pm to a rousing applause at the Ecumenical Centre, Abuja.

    Details later…

     

  • CAN Presidency Between Otubu and Ayokunle

    CAN Presidency Between Otubu and Ayokunle

    Seventy-two hours to the highly anticipated general election of the association, Sunday Oguntola x-rays the many forces and factors that will determine who becomes the next President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). 

    BARRING unforeseen circumstances, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) will have a new president on Wednesday. The 109-strong National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet at the Ecumenical centre in Abuja to elect the new helmsman for the apex Christian body.  The run down to the final stage of the transitional programme has been as interesting as dramatic with several developments thrown up by vested forces in the top position.

    From the botched primary of the TEKAN/ECWA bloc to the abduction saga that rocked the Christian community, the run-off to the election has been anything but smooth. Consequently, observers strongly believe the election itself still has some drama to offer. Already, pundits are identifying some factors that will determine who leads the christian body next.

    Turbulent transition

    It culminated last Thursday in the call for suspension of the electoral process by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), citing alleged irregularities. The President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, in a letter addressed to the national president of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, threatened to sever ties with the umbrella organisation if the process was not halted.

    The CSN said: “The way and manner in which the electoral process of CAN has been handled does not show any willingness of the Leadership to do things in a way worthy of the Association.  We can no longer go along with the way things are now. The CSN therefore demands that the current electoral process be suspended forthwith until the heads of the five Blocks of CAN reconvene (which we hope will be as soon as possible), to work out a way of bringing the Association back on track, so that it may serve the purpose for which it was originally founded. This is the only condition under which the CSN can positively consider its continued membership of the Association.”

    Investigations revealed that CSN resorted to the measure to save it face, having failed to nick the General Secretary post of the organisation. It was gathered that the Catholic community had a pact with the President of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev Dr. Jeremiah Gado, to serve as Secretary. The inability of TEKAN\ECWA bloc to field Gado has put paid to the arrangement, leaving the CSN with little or nothing in the soon-to-be-inaugurated administration.

    CAN sources told our correspondent that the CSN took the same decision shortly after its candidate, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, lost to Oritsejafor in 2010. The withdrawal of CSN from the process is not expected to have any negative side-effects as the constitution acknowledges that three out of the five blocs can conduct businesses such as elections and decisions.

    There were also fears that Gado or his supporters might head to court to halt the election for his perceived exclusion from the process. But our correspondent learnt that the fears of the backlashes such an action might have on ECWA as well as the technicalities involved might dissuade his camp from proceeding with the court option.

      Electioneering strategies

    On Wednesday, the candidate of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches(OAIC), Elder Professor Joseph Otubu will square up to its Christian Council of Nigeria(CCN) counterpart, Rev Dr Supo Ayokunle. Investigations revealed that both camps have been lobbying NEC members for support. Many of the NEC members, it was learnt, have been pitching their tents based on certain considerations and interests.

    Ayokunle’s camp is banking on the theory of continuity, telling everyone that the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) has been part of the system and understands its workings. As the current vice president, his supporters are confident he has all it takes to clinch the top seat. Ayokunle on May 6 met with chairmen of CAN south west in Ibadan where he promised to carry them along if elected. Those at the sparsely attended meeting however hinted that some of the chairmen frowned at the resort to ethnic politics.

    He has also been holding strategic meetings with top echelon of the CCN, including Methodist Church Nigeria and Anglican Communion, some of whom have reportedly pledged their support. Many of his supporters are also claiming he has the backing of Oritsejafor to continue from where he stopped, a claim that could be not confirmed.

    They claim his 8-2 victory at the Electoral College is an indication that Ayokunle is the anointed candidate of the current leadership. Otubu, on his own, has been playing the minority politics, telling everyone it is the turn of OAIC to produce the next president. Only the TEKAN\ECWA and OAIC blocs have never led the 40-year-old organisation.

    He emerged the candidate with a narrow 4-3 votes against Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the international president of the OAIC. To have defeated Okoh, an entrenched force within the OAIC, fittingly tells of the enormous strength of Otubu. But it also means that he won’t have the support of everyone in the bloc, considering the narrow victory at the primary on Wednesday.

    His campaign strictly has been that OAIC also has the capacity to lead the organisation, especially with someone of his stature as a renowned gynecologist. He also says he is out to reposition CAN as a respectable umbrella body that commands the attention of the powers-that-be. Otubu is banking on northern delegates as well as those from the south-east and south-south who considers the Oghara-born General Evangelist of Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW) one of them.

    Forces at play Clearly, there are two major forces at play in the forthcoming election. One is the established or orthodox churches who believe they should always determine who head the organisation. The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Dr Samuel Uche, told our correspondent: “We (CCN) are the kingmakers; we dictate what happens.”

    Ayokunle is the preferred candidate of the establishment within CAN. It will batter the ego of the mainline churches for their candidate to lose out to someone they consider a minnow. One of them told our correspondent that over their dead bodies will an Aladura man lead CAN. This is why they have been reaching out to their allies with the organisation to back Ayokunle for the seat.

    But the anticipated withdrawal of the CSN from the process might affect the number of votes for Ayokunle. But Otubu on his own is not a pushover. His father was a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance and the late Baba Aladura of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church (ESOCS). So he has a family background that rings a bell in the Christian community.

    On his own, he is a foremost gynecologist with hundreds of doctors training under him. Of the 19 Chief Medical Directors in the north, 17 of them were his former students. He has been able to rally those aggrieved with the arrogant stance of established churches within the organisation. They consider in him the best opportunity to prove that CAN belongs to all and no church is superior to the other. Those in this category are in OAIC and TEKAN\ECWA.

    So, the politics of majority versus minority will go a long way in determining who gets the nod to head the organisation. But there are always more factors at work.  Factors at work. According to Article 11 section b of the CAN constitution, those eligible to vote include 10 representatives from each of the blocs; chairman and secretary of regional branches with four votes; one representative from each six of the geo-political zones; chairmen of CAN in the 36 states and FCT; 10 national officers of CAN and one representative from the Youth and Women wings of the body.

    To emerge president, one of the two candidates must get at least 55 votes. Based on the voting population, it makes a lot of sense to go after the 37 state CAN chairmen. Whoever gets at least 20 of them on his side is almost half-way to victory. In the South West, checks revealed that Ayokunle will have at least three votes with Osun, Lagos and Ekiti likely to support Otubu. Otubu is expected to have most of the northern states because he lived and worked in Jos, Plateau State for over a decade. He speaks Hausa fluently and is seen by most northern chairmen as one of them. He is also expected to win the 11 votes from the south-east and south-south.

    Going to the blocs votes, it is a taken that Ayokunle will get the ten from CCN. He is expected to also carry at least half from ECWA/TEKAN delegates as well as at least three from OAIC. Otubu will naturally win the block votes from OAIC. His supporters believe he will win PFN/CPFN votes too en mass. It was gathered that the PFN held an in-house session last week where it was decided that Otubu is the man for the job. This, according to findings, is based on his impressive professional credentials. Considering his affinity with northern delegates, he might have to settle for half of the votes from ECWA\TEKAN.

    As for the 10 votes from national officers of CAN, it is too close to call. While some believe the current administration is rooting for Ayokunle, others say the officers are all for a change. Such Otubu wins, it will be historic. It will be the first time an OAIC leader and Aladura Christian is leading CAN. It will also be historic should Ayokunle wins. It will be the first time a Baptist cleric is leading CAN. He will also be the third CCN candidate after Prelate Sunday Mbang of Methodist Church Nigeria and Archbishop Peter Akinola of the Anglican Communion.

  • Blasphemy: CAN calls for open trial of killers

    Blasphemy: CAN calls for open trial of killers

    •JNI: killing unislamic
    •Murder unacceptable, says Kalu

    The northern  branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for an open trial of the killers of Madam Bridget Agbahime, who was accused of blasphemy.

    Madam Agbahime, 74, was lynched last Thursday at Kofar Wambai market.

    Spokesman Rev. John Joseph Hayab, who addressed reporters, wondered why the police, who claimed to have rescued the deceased’s husband from the mob, could not rescue her or arrest the culprits. He also wondered why people would kill a fellow human being just because they are angry with such an individual.

    “So, if your enemy is angry with you, the best thing to do is to raise a false alarm, using religion as a cover to kill. Our religious leaders must preach the true tenets of religion, because this arrogance is getting too much,” he said.

    CAN appealed to the government to make deliberate policies aimed at stopping this type of extremism, adding that, “these type of issues are giving the state a bad name and image. The state government must ensure that the trial of the man who raised the false alarm and his cohorts is not done in secret so as to deter others.”

    The religious body, therefore, appealed to Christians to be law abiding with government, as well as offer persistent prayers for the unity and progress of the country.

    Apex Islamic body in the north, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has also condemned Mrs. Agbahime’s murder. It  describing the act as unislamic, saying it was perpetrated by miscreants and criminals.

    A statement by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, said: “With pains and sobriety, JNI received with shock the unfortunate alleged blasphemy of the Prophet (SAW) by Mrs. Bridget Agbahime, reported to have happened in Wambai, Kano State, and another one that claimed four lives in Pandogari, Rafi Local Government Council of Niger State.

    “These ugly incidents stand condemned and are regarded as criminal and unislamic, perpetrated by miscreants and criminals.

    “It is unbelievable that such dastardly acts could happen in the name of religion, considering the various enlightenment programmes on interfaith and mutual co-existence put in place by Muslim scholars and the leadership.

    “In light of the above, we laud the untiring efforts of the Kano and Niger State governments, and their ‘Ulama’ in nipping in the bud, the unfortunate crises that would have engulfed both states. Likewise, the proactive measures of security agencies are also commendable and we implore that same be sustained.

    “We equally commiserate with Mr. Agbahime of the Deeper Life Bible Church on the death of his wife, even as we commend him for setting the record straight by saying his wife was not beheaded as reported by the media.

    “Finally, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of JNI, calls on all to remain calm and avoid actions that could lead to the breach of law and order. Muslims are also implored to fervently pray for the restoration of peace and security in Nigeria, bearing in mind that without Nigeria there will be no Nigerians.

    “On the other hand, respective state governments must rise to the occasion in protecting the lives of the citizenry, for it is a primary constitutional responsibility upon which their legitimacy is derived.”

    Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu has also condemned the murder.

    Orji, who praised President Muhammadu Buhari and Ganduje for condemning the act, said: “Nobody has a right to take the life of another under whatever guise, unless sanctioned by a court. This murder is unacceptable to any decent human being, and is against the laws of Nigeria.

    “I call on the authorities to spare no effort in seeing that justice is done by fishing out the perpetrators and bringing them to book as soon as possible. Because religion was wrongly evoked by those that committed this crime, I call on Islamic leaders to publicly condemn this barbaric act and distance such from Islam, which forbids the taking of innocent lives.

    “At a time like this, national leaders should take the high moral ground and ensure that acts like these are condemned and eradicated. It is by so doing that we will ensure the essence of human sanctity.”

    Orji sympathised with the family and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

  • CAN’s NEC accuses Electoral College of bias

    CAN’s NEC accuses Electoral College of bias

    The Dr Williams Okoye-led Electoral College of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the association’s presidential election has been accused of bias in last Thursday’s shadow election.

    Many members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the apex Christian body said the poll, in which Rev Supo Ayokunle of Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) got eight votes to beat Elder Professor Joseph Otubu, who polled two votes,  was unnecessary and malicious.

    Most of those who spoke with our correspondent in confidence, said it was unconstitutional to hold a shadow election when only two candidates were left in the race for the CAN presidency.

    One of them, a delegate from the North, said: “CAN’s constitution stipulates that the Electoral College is to reduce aspirants to two and present them to NEC for proper election.

    “Since only two candidates were left in the race, why was there the need to vote again? You vote only to reduce aspirants to two, not to give the public a false picture of popularity.

    “That singular move has confirmed suspicions that the college was acting under an influence.”

    A delegate from the Southeast accused the 15-member college of bias and premeditated result.

    He said the election umpire’s plot was to scuttle the proper poll slated for June 15 at the Christian Centre in Abuja and orchestrate a caretaker committee to oversee the forthcoming election.

    The delegate said: “We are aware they held some surreptitious meetings until 2 a.m on the day they held the shadow poll. They planned to disrupt the transition process so that a caretaker committee will emerge.

    “By design, the Electoral College wanted to metamorphose into the caretaker committee to conduct the presidential election. It took the stubborn insistence of a member to foil the plot.

    “So, the committee is biased and malicious. They are working towards a predetermined end.”

  • Ortom urges women to pray for the state

    Ortom urges women to pray for the state

    Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, has called on women in the state to continue to pray for the success of  his administration.

    Making the call during the prayer session organized by the Women Wing of Benue State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria,  CAN, at the Grace Chapel of Benue People’s  House.  Ortom said prayers would help to change the critical situation.

    He said like Aaron and Joshua did to Moses, Benue women should support his administration in this trying period.

    The governor said attacks from Fulani herdsmen and moral decadence are not peculiar to the state and noted that people of the state have decided to ask God for intervention.

    While expressing the hope that Benue would not be the same after the two week prayer sessions, Governor Ortom sounded the warning that the time of waste was gone.

    He said the states’s federal allocation has declined from N2 billion to a little above N1 billion and explained that Fulani attacks and challenges from within have made the people to intensify efforts in agriculture.

    The governor asked citizens of the state to massively attend grand finale of the two week prayer period coming up next Monday at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB, Square, Makurdi and assured that God would meet every person at the point of his need.

    In a remark at the event, wife of the Governor, Dr (Mrs) Eunice Ortom, said Benue women started praying for God’s blessing in 2015 and called for more participation.

    Mrs Ortom explained that the prayers being offered by women were not based on political considerations and noted that after creating man, God created woman to be his worthy partner.

    She said God used women to bless the world and stressed that Mary the mother of Jesus gave testimonies of God’s goodness.

    According to the First Lady of Benue state. Esther played vital roles in the life of women by bringing succor to them.

    She said Benue people can say Alleluia today because Jesus gave them freedom on the cross and observed that the greatest way of finding joy and peace is for one to find his way into his heart.

    Monday prayer session by the women wing of CAN was attended by the Deputy Governor, Engr Benson Abounu, the Chief Judge, Justice Iorhemen Hwande, members of the State Executive Council and women from different denominations.

     

  • Fuel price hike: Nigerians don’t need strike now – CAN

    The Northern branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Monday told the Federal government and organized labour union to abort the planned strike in the interest of Nigerians.

    The CAN Public Relations Officer in the region, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, who spoke with journalists in Kaduna, told the federal government and labour to  sheath their swords and safe poor Nigerians from further hardship.

    “We understand the challenge of the time, though we may frown at the process in which the deregulation was carried out, but it is not enough reason for us to repeal the deregulation now, we must stop the attitudes of going forward and backward.

    “Our plea to the masses, labour and the federal government is to stop the strike action, because it will not remedy the pains Nigerians are going through,” he stated.

    They also appealed to the federal government to address whatever problems that led to the fuel hike with human face and with all responsibility and humility.

    “Labour and government must go to the roundtable and hold discuss on what to do to improve the living conditions of the people they are representing.

    “Strike will only affect our economy negatively and it will not even do good to the people we want to protect. It would only worsen their condition,” CAN argued.

     

  • CAN presidency: More intrigues, permutations trail postponement

    CAN presidency: More intrigues, permutations trail postponement

    Forces within the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have returned to the drawing block following the postponement of the presidential election of the body.

    Members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the apex Christian at an emergency meeting last Tuesday in Abuja moved the election slated for May 17-19 to June 14-15.

    The postponement, according to investigations, was to douse tension due to the inability of the TEKAN/ECWA bloc to produce a candidate for the election.

    The development has threatened to tear the body apart with some northern Christians vowing to break away from the umbrella body should Rev. Dr Jeremiah Gado, their preferred candidate from the bloc, prevented from standing election.

    The embattled Gado, who is also the President of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), was technically nullified from the election because of wrangling in the bloc.

    The bloc leader, Dr Emmanuel Dziggau, claimed he was about sending Gado’s nomination when a counter letter was received from the Secretary of the bloc contesting the exercise.

    Besides, he wondered why Gado was in a hurry to be nominated when he (Dziggau) and two other leaders of the bloc were in the den of kidnappers.

    The non-resolution of the crisis left only Elder Professor Joseph Otubu of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) and Rev Dr Supo Ayokunle of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) in the presidential race.

    But the Electoral College headed by Dr Williams Okoye, which was constitutionally required to prune candidates down to two and recommend them to NEC for election, said it will not proceed with the exercise until the TEKAN/ECWA crisis was resolved.

    The hard stance led to some serious protests in CAN with some church leaders rooting for the disbandment of the College on the basis that it had overstepped its bound.

    At the emergency meeting last Tuesday, it was gathered that NEC members expressed serious regrets over how the transitional programme had been politicised.

    It was learnt that the leaders vowed to fight off internal and external attempts to manipulate the election following allegations that some presidential aides were interested in the exercise.

    CAN, according to them, is free from government interference and must remain an independent umbrella body for Christians.

    Sources hinted that members of the Electoral College were chided for insisting the TEKAN/ECWA bloc must present a candidate, a development many church leaders said was overbearing.

    But it was gathered that reasons prevailed when some pleaded that the bloc be allowed to sort out the crisis in the interest of fairness.

    A source at the meeting hinted: “Some were angry but at the end we felt it was better to give them a final opportunity to sort themselves out.”

    Based on this, the bloc was granted a two-week latitude to conduct a fresh primary for the presidential contest.

    But investigations revealed that the primary may be scuttled again following the determination of some forces to stop Gado at all costs.

    The TEKAN element in the bloc has produced a new candidate who is expected to give Gado, believed to be backed by some forces in Aso Rock, a tough run.

    Besides, it is an open secret that there is no love lost between Gado and Dziggau.

    Also, Gado is expected to face stiff opposition from ECWA, which produced the current National Secretary, Rev Dr Musa Asake.

    The emergence of Gado will mean that Asake has to give up his second term ambition in the National Secretariat of CAN.

    Asake, who was former General Secretary of ECWA, has large followership in the church and has been selling the idea that it is better for ECWA to stick to certainty as against pursing uncertainty (presidency).

    Also, Gado is seriously battling with perception problem following insinuations that he is backed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal, who is a pastor in the church.

    The tag that the ECWA president is a government candidate is causing many leaders in CAN to have a harder look at him.

    But his supporters are optimistic he will pull through the opposition.

    One of them told our correspondent: “Gado will scale through. That I can assure you. They know he has all it takes and that is why they want to stop him at all costs.”

    It was gathered that his camp has devised strategies to reach out to influential Christian leaders for support.

    But first he has to win the primary to stand a chance of having a shot at the CAN presidency.

    On his part, Ayokunle, who is President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), is backing that he will benefit from the crisis in the TEKAN\ECWA.

    Should Gado’s ambition be scuttled at the primary level, the race will be between Otubu and Ayokunle.

    Ayokunle’s backers told our correspondent that he will be on the standby to see how the crisis goes.

    The Baptist Convention President was initially thought to be in the race to retain his seat as Vice President of the body.

    But he started showing serious interests some two weeks ago, fuelling speculations that he could be the candidate of the outgoing executives.

    But many believe it is not the turn of CCN to produce the next CAN president.

    Archbishop Peter Akinola of Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion handed over to the current occupant, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

    The OAIC and TEKAN/ECWA are the only blocs yet to produce the president of the organisation.

    Otubu, the General Evangelist of Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), won a keenly contested primary with Archbishop Daniel Okoh, some weeks back.

    The retired gynecologist is seen as a cleric with a professional background, an attribute many say the Christian body needs for now.

    His supporters said he will give CAN the much-needed facelift, if elected.

    Come July 19-20, one of these three candidates will take over from Oritsejafor whose tenure had been marred by many controversies.

  • Cross River CAN inaugurates new exco

    The Cross River State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has inaugurated its new executive members in Calabar.

    The event held at the Apostolic Church, Edgerley Road with the theme “Unity in diversity” was attended by church leaders and members from various denominations.

    The new chairman, Archbishop Joseph Ukpo (Emeritus), said for CAN to survive as a united Christian organisation, ecumenical dialogue must be taken seriously.

    He said no religion can exist in isolation anymore and any religion that is not open to others becomes vulnerable to fundamentalism and religious fanaticism.

    He said the Church promotes the spirit of dialogue in the world to resolve conflict, advance common good and strengthen human solidarity.

    Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ivara Esu, charged the new executive council to build on the achievement of predecessors to ensure good working relationship among Christians and other people in the state irrespective of their background.

    He asked them to promote peace, tolerance, compassion, contentment and love for one another especially at this point in time.

    He urged religious leaders to constantly pray for the government to deliver on its promises to improve residents of the state.

    Esu said the government was open to godly counsel to enable them take the state to the heights desired.

    Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Rosemary Archibong, was grateful to God for keeping CAN together after the peaceful election.

    While describing the church as an epitome of unity in diversity, she urged that they continue to work together as a viable army for God.

    “As diverse as we are in the body of Christ, we need to be ready to be used by God to bring down most difficult situations,” she said.

    South South chairman of CAN, Archbishop God-dowell Avwomakpa, urged that despite all challenges, Christians should still keep faith in God.

    Prof (Mrs.) Ebele Eko presented a keynote address on the theme of the event.

    The new executive council has Archbishop Joseph Ukpo as chairman; Rev O. B. Ekpenyong as vice chairman; Elder Engineer James Ekabua as Secretary; Ms Olive Effanga as financial secretary and Apostle Frank Umo as treasurer.