Following the cry out by the Christian group, Christ Redeemers’ Union, CRU, concerning the interest of the President sponsored by the APC to replace the CAN President, Ayo Oritsejafor with a Northerner, the Northern States Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has on Monday reacted to the allegation.
In reply to the allegation, the Treasurer of the Northern CAN, Pastor Haruna Karatu in Kaduna said there would be nothing wrong in having a Northerner become the CAN President.
He said; “There is nothing wrong with having a Northerner as CAN President; after all CAN started from the North. The Presidency of CAN is not for the South only.
Warning against labelling the President falsely, he continued that; “Buhari has nothing to do with CAN, it is just a blackmail by mischief makers who want to drag the name of the President into their gimmicks,”
In support of the stand, Rev. Shuaibu Byal, the immediate past Chairman of the North-East CAN, noted that since the establishment of CAN in the North in 1964, before it spread nationwide in 1976, no northerner has shown interest in the Association’s leadership.
“Since then, Northern Christians have never shown interest in the leadership of CAN, apart from John Onaiyekan who is from Kogi State.
“All we do is to support anybody, in the believe that Christians are one. We back any president regardless of tribe or region.
“So, it is unfortunate for any group to come out and say President Muhammadu Buhari is trying to install a Northerner as CAN President. That is a divisive language and we don’t encourage such.
“We have Igbo people who became CAN chairmen in the Northern States. We supported Ayo’s emergence as President, so if one of us wants to succeed him, how is it a crime?”