Following the controversy and hullabaloo being generated as a result of the naming of key national officers of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the All Progressives Congress, APC, campaign council, a former National Youth CAN Leader and the National Youth Leader of Congress of Northern Nigeria Christians, Daniel Kadzai has stated that with this, CAN have become a branch of the APC campaign council.
According to him, contrary to claims by some persons distancing themselves from the recruitment and that they were not contacted, information at his disposal revealed that there was a serious struggle for nomination into the PCC, while some of them lobbied their name into the list with cash.
Kadzai, who was former National President of CAN (Youth Wing), challenged those who claimed that they were not involved to proceed to court to clear their names.
He said, “Therefore, I call on all the political leaders to always follow due process when dealing with any group ahead of the General elections. They must work with principled people to achieve their goals; not to recruit people who talk from both sides of their mouth. If anybody is saying their names were smuggled into the APC Presidential Campaign Council, let them go to court to clear their names and claim damages.
“One of the national executives of CAN called me this morning and told me that there was a kind of struggle for nomination into the APC presidential campaign council in CAN. He alleged that some of them lobbied to put their names on the list. Nigerians are at liberty to choose a political party or candidate.
Now that CAN has become a department of APC campaign Structure, the Leadership of CAN should hasten steps to review the “celebrated” election guidelines which include; and stop confusing the Christian Bloc.
“I am saying there is an allegation that some of them lobbied, you don’t lobby for free, it is something you negotiate. This is not the kind of leadership that is expected from a religious organisation let’s not blame the politicians.
“We woke up to see top national leaders of CAN on the list of the members of the APC campaign council, congratulations to APC they have done a very good job for taking over CAN, because as it is now, I must tell you that the CAN has become a branch of APC campaign council.
“ You have the Assistant General Secretary of CAN (OAIC Bloc)whose assignment is to superintend over the activities of the groups under CAN; He is now one of the members of the campaign council. We have the former Director (Legal and Public Affairs) of CAN (TEKAN ECWA Bloc) we have the incumbent Director (Legal and Public Affairs) Barr. Comfort member, APC Presidential Campaign Council (CSN Bloc) a communicant Catholic, same denomination with Peter Obi, Labour Party Presidential candidate.
“Next, Personal Assistant to the current President of CAN, APC PCC member. We have, Rev.Dr. Onifade, PA to the former President of CAN, Rev. Dr. Supo Ayokunle. The Director of National Issues, CAN, and CAN Chairman Lagos State, Bishop Stephen Adegbite who claimed; God will punish us if we fail to campaign for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is conspicuously on the list. There is no doubt, CAN is another department of the APC campaign team. Credit to APC.
“ Are these people not in CAN to elevate their status and to stuff their pockets? Nigerians know them!
I worked with all of them at a point, if they are doing this to promote Christianity, Nigerians should judge.
“But to be very honest, most of these people are using CAN to propel themselves into positions; they are not in CAN to resolve crisis that is engulfing the Body of Christ across Nigeria.
“They are not in CAN to address the issue of the failure of the church to evangelise, they have failed to unite the Body of Christ or unite the people of Nigeria, cut across ethnic and religious line.”
I humbly ask; why don’t we have any official of the Christian Association of Nigeria on the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council? 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV) “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
