The Christian Association of Nigeria has reacted to the alleged sex scandal involving the founder and lead pastor of the Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman and one Canada-based Nigerian lady, Stephanie Otobo.
In reaction to the allegations which has since become messy with claims of other victims coming out to reveal their ordeals, CAN has revealed that it will not be launching investigations into the case of the alleged sex scandal.
Speaking on the alleged sexual misconduct, a top official at CAN’s national office told Punchng that CAN is only concerned with denominational issues and not such like Apostle Suleman’s.
The reply by CAN comes after a Christian group, Concerned Christians, had called on CAN to investigate the allegations.
The CAN top official told Punch: “CAN provides an umbrella for Christian denominations and it is a bridge between the church and the nation, not between individuals. This issue has to do with individuals, ethics and morals.
So it is the denomination that Suleman directly subscribes to that should look into it and not CAN. The CAN cannot be involved. What is happening is not an official issue. It is a personal issue.
The man has denied the allegations made by the lady, but she insists and we are told that their lawyers and the appropriate authorities are already involved. If it was a matter that had to do with the church now, we would have waded into it.
You will be aware that when the man was being harassed because of what he preached and said, CAN stepped in. We declared our position on that but this other matter is a little bit complex.
If CAN comes out to say the man is being persecuted because he is a Christian, people might say that we are defending what is not defendable, and that the matter is immoral. Also, we don’t have an investigative department that deals with that in CAN.
But if he is with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, then the body can investigate the matter. CAN is an umbrella body for denominational blocs and not for individual Christians per se.”