The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned the inclusion of eight of its officials on the All Progressives Congress’s Presidential Campaign Council (APC).
According to previous reports, the eight CAN members are opposed to the ruling APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, and their inclusion on the party’s campaign council has sparked outrage.
Apostle Biodun Sanyaolu, Assistant General Secretary of CAN, was appointed as Assistant Coordinator; Lagos State CAN Chairman, Stephen Adegbite (member); Director of Legal and Public Affairs, Comfort Chigbue (member); and Testimony Onifade, former Personal Assistant to the immediate past CAN President, Samson Ayokunle (member).
Others include Victor Ivoke, Personal Assistant to Rev. Daniel Okoh, current President of CAN (member); Kwamkur Samuel, CAN’s former Director of Legal and Public Affairs (member); and Prof. Para-Mallam (member).
CAN President Rev. Daniel Okoh, however, distanced himself from the APC Presidential Campaign Council list in a statement issued Thursday night.
The inclusion of the officials in the ruling party’s campaign council, according to Okoh, is concerning because it contradicts the CAN’s well-known stance on partisanship.
He also criticized his officials for being named to the council despite their opposition to the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
As a result, Okoh stated that he had launched an investigation into how the officials became involved in overt partisanship.
He said;
My attention as President of the Christian Association of Nigeria has been drawn to the revised list of members of the Tinubu/Shettima 2023 President Campaign Council wherein the names of some outgoing officials of the body were featured.
Such a development is worrisome because it counters the well-known stance of CAN on partisanship. I want to categorically exonerate my humble self from this development and any of such that may occur in the future.
I want to use this medium to assure all Christians in Nigeria and the general public that since I received the news, I have commenced full investigation into how the officials got involved into overt partisanship.
At the end of the probe, CAN will take fair, but decisive and appropriate action with a view to defending the ideals of the umbrella Christian body I lead by the grace of the Almighty God.
On a final note, I urge the general public to be calm while we collectively work to entrench a culture of inclusion and respect for our religious diversities in our political leadership.