SAN FRANCISCO, August 15, (THEWILL) – Christians from the North under the auspices of the Concerned Christians of Nigeria, CCN, and the Northern Nigerian Christians, NCC, have reverted to the pre-Independence Northern Nigerian Christian Association, NNCA, in response to recent political happenings and “corruption” in the apex Christian body, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN.
The election of Rev. Supo Ayokunle as the new CAN President sparked controversy in the body, as some Christian leaders from the North accused the immediate past CAN President, Ayo Oritsejafor, of deliberately frustrating the candidature of Rev. Jeremiah Gado of the TEKAN/ECWA bloc, in a bid to prevent the emergence of a northerner as President of the association.
Rev. Luka Shehu of the CCN and Hon. Peter Luka of the NNC, in a joint press conference in Jos, the Plateau state capital, on Sunday, explained that their decision to revert to the NNCA became necessary following what they described as the “travesty of justice, lies and manipulation” that led to the emergence of Rev. Supo Ayokunle as CAN President.
They added that the break-away was in view of various acts of corruption by the leadership of CAN as well as the neglect of northern Christians, especially those in the troubled North-East.
Shehu and Luka alleged that billions of naira had been donated to CAN nationally and internationally to support Christians suffering from the activities of the Boko Haram sect in the North-East but that “not a single kobo has been given.”
“Considering our common shared values and peculiarities as Christians from CAN and after wide consultation among Christian leaders, traditional rulers, youths and women, we under these auspices from the north have unanimously decided to revert to the pre-independence Northern Nigeria Christian Association,” the groups said.
