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| Pastor Ayo Oritsejafo |
Tensions have heightened among top echelon of the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) over the presidential election of the body,
which holds in May\June.
The election has already polarised the apex Christian body into two
main factions with the incumbent president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor
leading the one determined to install his successor.
Investigations revealed that Oritsejafor has perfected plans to
ensure that the General Evangelist of the Motailatu Cherubim and
Seraphim Church Worldwide (MCSCW), Elder Prof. Joseph Otubu wins the
election.
Already, Otubu is coasting home to victory almost unopposed following
a well-oiled scheme to stop other formidable candidates from the
contest.
The contest has been narrowed down to the Organisation of African
Instituted Churches (OAIC) and TEKAN\ECWA blocs, which have never manned
the top post.
Otubu won the primary election of the OAIC beating the international
president of the group, Archbishop Daniel Okoh by four to three votes. His name has been forwarded to the electoral college of the body headed by former Aso Rock Chaplain, Dr Williams Okoye.
The other faction is from the TEKAN/ECWA bloc, which has been torn apart by vicious politicking instigated by the Oritsejafor’s group.
The president of TEKAN\ECWA, Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau, was kidnapped
with two other pastors some few weeks ago. It has been alleged in some
quarters that this was to obstruct the primary of the bloc. He was released few days ago after the expiration of the deadline for submission of candidate. One of the two pastors abducted with him, Rev. Iliya Anto, was found dead.
Dziggau, a supporter of Oritsejafor, is reportedly not disposed to
presenting a candidate from the bloc to ensure Otubu coasts home to
victory.
In his absence, the primary exercise that produced the National
President of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Dr Jeremiah
Gado was nullified following a letter countering his nomination from the
body’s general secretary and vice-president.
Supporters of Gado, mostly northern Christians cried foul, protesting
that their candidate was being technically rigged out of the contest.
The protest arm twisted the Electoral College to give the ECWA\TEKAN bloc an extension for presentation of candidate.
The extension, which ended on April 11, saw the re-presentation of
Gado’s name, a development observers said is a ploy to rally northern
Christians to his side.
Investigations revealed that Gado has been battling forces within the church against his ambition.
One of them is the National General Secretary of CAN, Rev Dr Musa Asake, who is seeking a second term.
Asake, whose first tenure ends in June, has allegedly signed a deal
with Otubu to scuttle the nomination of Gado in return for a second
term, and has allegedly mobilised members of the powerful ECWA 5,
comprising the national President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer
and Assistant Secretary to stop the nomination of Gado.
While the secretary and assistant secretary are for Otubu, the treasurer and vice president are backing Gado. The situation warranted a three-hour inquisition last Thursday during
the 63rd General Church Council of the ECWA in Jos, where the five most
powerful men made open speeches for their choices.
The first group spoke on why ECWA should get the CAN presidency while
others argued that the General Secretary slot occupied by Asake was
more than enough for now. At the end, delegates of the church overwhelmingly voted that Gado should be the church’s candidate.
But Otubu’s backers are insisting the deadline for nomination is over
and ECWA cannot singlehandedly choose a candidate without TEKAN.
They argue that candidates are for a bloc, not a half-bloc, a
development that is poised to further heat up tension in the run-off to
the poll.
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