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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has insisted that it’s the turn of the bloc to produce the next chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Imo State.
Briefing journalists after a solidarity visit to the National chairman of the CSN, His Grace, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, in his office, at the Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, by members of four blocs of CAN, spokesperson of the group, Oluchukwu Nnabugwu, said that the Catholic bloc does not support imposition of an acting chairman on the association, stressing that the winner of the election conducted by the 15-panel Electoral College subsists.
Nnabugwu, who is also an ex-legal and public affairs director of Imo CAN, disclosed that 15 members of the electoral college of CAN all voted for the candidate of the CSN, Gerald Njoku, but expressed his disappointment that the national leadership opted for an acting chairman, Uzoma Uzoechi, declaring the election by the electoral college as inconclusive.
Nnabugwu said, “We are here to speak with one voice, in defence of truth, justice, constitutional order, and the unity of the Church in Imo State.“We state, clearly and unequivocally, that it is the constitutional turn of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) bloc to produce the chairman of CAN, Imo State Chapter. In line with this constitutional provision, the CSN bloc duly presented its preferred candidate.
The candidate was subjected to the CAN electoral college, made up of three representatives from each of the five blocs of CAN.
“The candidate successfully passed the screening process with a unanimous score of 15 out of 15. By every constitutional and moral standard, this candidate ought to have been ratified within six months, as provided by the CAN constitution. However, to our utmost dismay, the election was wrongly and unjustly declared inconclusive.
“Subsequently, the approval of an Acting Chairman by CAN national leadership, which is clearly unconstitutional, was introduced. Even where such an arrangement exists, it must not exceed two weeks.
Regrettably, this illegal acting arrangement has now lasted over six months, in gross violation of the CAN constitution and ecclesiastical decorum”, Nnabugwu said.
He continued, “Sadly, it appears that this sacred principle has been forgotten at the national level and, therefore, needs to be firmly but, respectfully, re-emphasised.
Today, four blocs of CAN in Imo State are speaking with one voice. This unified stance should send a clear message that the Church in Imo State rejects division, injustice, and constitutional abuse.
Meanwhile, the four blocs said they have pulled out of all the activities of CAN during the Yuletide until the candidate from the CSN is duly ratified as chairman.
Nnabugwu said, “We have been reliably informed of planned programmes, under the banner of CAN, Imo State Chapter, including a Christmas Carol programme purportedly organised by CAN.
We, hereby, make our position clear:
The four blocs will neither attend nor participate in any such programme.
“We shall not be part of any CAN activity in Imo State under the present unconstitutional leadership arrangement. The only exception shall be a programme convened by the National or Zonal leadership of CAN, specifically for the formal handover of power to the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) bloc.
In a swift reaction, the appointed state Acting Chairman, Uzoma Uzoechi, has insisted that there is no crisis in the state CAN. He said the candidate of the CSN, Njoku, did not meet the two third requirements of votes cast by the 15-member electoral college; therefore, the election, he said, was declared inconclusive, and he was written by the national body as the elected vice chairman to act as the chairman.
The Tekan/ECWA bloc, which is the fifth bloc which also produced the immediate past chairman, Devine Eches, was not represented in the solidarity visit.
