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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has distance itself from media reports endorsing Chief Joe Gadzama, SAN, for the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the forthcoming NBA elections.
The Association explained that it only prayed for him and that the best emerge winner in the forthcoming NBA elections.
CAN President, Dr. Samson Ayokunle Olasupo, in a statement by his media aide, Pastor Bayo Oladeji, said the explanation became necessary following media reports CAN leadership endorsed Chief Gadzama as its candidate for forthcoming NBA elections.
He said: “CAN, in a letter written on 7th July, and signed by the General Secretary of CAN, Joseph Daramola, to the President of the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), washes its hands off of such an endorsement as interpreted from an earlier letter he wrote to the group.
“Reference to the letter addressed to CLASFON on the above subject matter, we write to correct the impression that CAN has endorsed any sole candidate for the President of NBA considering the fact that there may be some other contestants in the race. CAN is not and will never be a partisan Body.
“We, therefore, write to disabuse the minds of all concerned that CAN is not in support of any particular candidate in the race over any candidate,” the letter read in part.
Daramola concluded the letter with a prayer that the best emerge winner in the forthcoming NBA elections.
Meanwhile, the CAN President reiterated the position of the Association in remaining neutral in the NBA election. “We never took any decision to back any candidate. We have no preferred candidate. All we can do is to pray for the best of the three candidates, who will use the position to serve God and humanity to emerge.
“The misconception arose when Gadzama paid a courtesy call on the CAN leadership in the last NEC meeting held in Ibadan where he solicited for their prayers and moral support for the election.”
