Uneasy calm in Gombe as Christian Association of Nigeria faction plans to stop propose state congress
By Akanji Alowolodu, Gombe
Tension is gradually building with the membership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Gombe State Chapter following the move by a faction of the Association to hold an elective congress before the Christmas.
Consequently, the other faction has raised opposition to the move accusing the national leadership of CAN of fueling the crisis in the state chapter by allegedly imposing the present Executives members against the choice of the delegates who turned out to elect their legitimate leaders on the 14th December 2021 at the CAN Centre.
The spokesman of the aggrieved clerics, Pastor Musa Ibrahim who made the accusation Wednesday vowed that they will stop the congress scheduled by the executives to hold before Christmas as according to him, they are an illegitimate leadership. Musa Ibrahim said that, “There was serious confusion on Tuesday 14th December 2021 because of the insistence of the CAN AGS and Legal Adviser to appoint their own candidates”.
According to him, “The Legal Adviser allocated Chairman to her bloc Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) even when the bloc contested for Secretary, while AGS, OAIC bloc appointed his Yoruba brother (OAIC) who has been in CAN since Gen. Sani Abacha’s regime as Secretary”.
Pastor Musa Ibrahim also said that they are mobilizing other members massively to storm the venue of the planned congress, insisting that the meeting must not hold in the CAN Centre.
On his part while reacting to the development, Reverend Joel Wakili, CAN Chairman, Gombe state who was elected expressed disappointment over the incident, describing it as uncalled for.
He said that the other faction might have been sponsored by yet to be identified people who do not want peace within the Christian community at this period of Yuletide when the gospel of peace and happiness should be preached.
He added that their aim is to create confusion in Gombe state when people are expected to be celebrating the birth of the Savior of the Earth saying that, “but God will take control, nothing will happen as the situation is under control”.
It will be recalled that only few days ago, the State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya gifted the Christian community the sum of N25m and other items to enable them enjoy the Christmas and New year celebrations.