Internal Wrangling Engulfs CAN

There is a crisis brewing within the ranks of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

According to reports, the crisis is being fuelled by moves by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to remove the association’s Vice President, Prof. Joseph Otubu allegedly on the orders of the President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle.

According to Daily Sun, an emergency NEC meeting scheduled for Monday to discuss some issues affecting the christian body in the country was hijacked by Ayokunle and its agenda changed to focus on the issues between himself and his vice.

Otubu was said to have accused Ayokunle of financial mismanagement and maladministration in a petition to NEC.

The vice president also allegedly accused his principal of hobnobbing with the Federal Government, which he described as a “sell out” of CAN.

NEC reportedly set up a committee, on the request of the petitioner, to look into the allegations and the committee invited all concerned to come forward with evidence to back up their claims.

However, Otubu was said to be the only one concerned not to honour the committee’s invitation but only responded after the committee had concluded its work and released its report.

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But a group of Christian elders under the aegis of National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), accused the NEC Committee of turning itself into a willing tool in the hands of Ayokunle.

According to a statement signed by the NCEF chairman, Elder Solomon Asemota SAN, the NEC Committee failed to handle issues raised by the petitioner to his (Otubu’s) satisfaction, hence his refusal to be part of the committee’s work.

The group described as false the committee’s claim that it investigated Otubu’s allegations and found them to be lies.

Responding to reports that the president was making moves to remove his vice, media aide to CAN President, Bayo Oladeji said there was no truth behind the insinuation.

“It is totally untrue. The kite could have been flown by Otubu’s loyalists, to pre-empt the possible outcome of the NEC meeting,”Daily Sun quoted Oladeji as saying.

Also reacting, Otubu described the purported move by the NEC to remove him as an exercise in futility, saying the body was not constitutionally empowered to remove him from office.