From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied media reports that its northern chapters comprising of 19 northern states and the FCT has endorsed the presidential ambition of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Northern CAN spokesman Jechonia Gilbert made the clarification in a communique released at the end of the extraordinary meeting of the Northern CAN representatives in Abuja.
He urged the public to disregard such reportage as it was never the thought or imagination of Northern CAN.
‘There has never been any meeting of the leadership of Northern CAN where such a decision was ever taken. Besides, Northern CAN, from history, has never adopted any individual for any elective position in the history of elections in Nigeria and neither will it do so this time,’ he stated.
‘Our duty to the Nigerian nation as a religious body, is to pray for the peace of the nation and encourage our members to participate in every constitutional process towards nation building.
‘As an organisation with large followership with its members belonging to different political persuasions, it is unthinkable to assume that we have adopted a particular individual who is not even a flag bearer of any political party as our candidate for the 2023 presidential elections.’
He encouraged Nigerians to pray and close ranks for the purpose of defeating the “enemies” of Nigerians, especially those killing in the name of religion, kidnapping for ransom and raping women across the country.
‘We must unite and stand together to stamp out this evil from our nation,’ he stated.