CAN poll: Group accuses Oritsejafor of plot to exclude North

• Allegation baseless –Youths

From Fred Itua, Abuja

THE crisis rocking the um­brella body of Christians in Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has assumed a new dimension as key leaders of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), alleged that the Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor-led executive is plotting to scheme them out of the forthcoming election of the organisation.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, ECWA representa­tive in CAN, Pastor Wakili Kadima alleged the process leading to the election fixed for June is marred with “il­legality” and “impunity” in a bid to exclude some persons from the North from participating in the exercise.

But, President of Patri­otic Christian Youths of Nigeria, Evangelist Simon Timothy Nasso, an affiliate of CAN loyal to Oritsejafor, said the allegations were baseless and untrue.

The allegation came at a time controversy was trail­ing the reported exclusion of Tarayya Ekklesiyoyin Kristi A Nigeria (TECAN), ECWA nominee, Rev. Jer­emiah Gado as the con­sensus candidate of the TECAN/ECWA block in CAN, which represents the North.

Gado’s emergence dur­ing the kidnap of Dr. Em­manuel Dziggau had been considered part of a grand plan to exclude the latter from the TECAN/ECWA nomination process.

On the contrary, Nasso said: “The questions every reasonable person should be asking are: is Dr. Jer­emiah Gado born for CAN leadership? Has there not been election in CAN be­fore him and will there not be after him?

“What will be his gains if he destroys the unity of the church? Will he stop being a Christian if he does not become the CAN presi­dent?

“We call on all Christians to fervently pray against the new trend of government sponsoring candidate for church elections.

“Those in authority should know that their God-given mandate is not for the oppression of the church.”