... ‘CAN has no business with NCEF
Following the outburst by the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) over the visit of the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN ), to President Muhammadu Buhari, Director Legal and Public Affairs CAN Barr. Samuel Kwamkur has described the development as baseless.
Recall that the CAN President, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, after the meeting had accused politicians in cassock of trying to prevent the association from meeting with the President to congratulate him. He was believed to be referring to the NCEF.
Reacting to the statement by the National Christian Elders Forum NCEF, Kwamkur said the NCEF which has been disbanded by the leadership of CAN almost a year ago has no right to fault the decision of CAN.
He said it is right for CAN to visit and congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari who has been declared winner of the just concluded 2019 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“I was part of the delegation of CAN, it is getting to one year now since CAN disassociated itself from the activities of the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF). The decision to visit President Muhammadu Buhari is not supposed to be with their knowledge since they are not part of CAN.
“CAN has disbanded NCEF and they have no reason to join issues with CAN. If CAN is going right they will go left. CAN has no business with the elders forum on this matter. Most of the leaders of CAN were in that team who went to see President Muhammadu Buhari. The five blocs constituting CAN was fully represented by the leaders of the blocs.
“The Catholic Secretariat was represented by the Secretary of the body alongside other respected leaders from the bloc as against the falsehood that Catholic was not part of the visit.
“We visited Buhari as a constituted body, not a political party, neither do we share political interest as an association. We work with the authority that be and if INEC is the constituted authority with the mandate to conduct elections and declare the winner what reasons do we have to say no to it? It means we are been partisan, if we go against the decision of INEC.
“Christians are advised to respect authorities. The bible did not say respect the leaders that love you or behave well to you. There is no condition to that admonition in the bible. If you read our speech to President Buhari we stated that we visited because INEC has declared Buhari winner.
“There is nothing wrong with the opposition going to court. In fact, we appreciate the moves to avoid crisis after election. If the court later decides in favour of the opposition, CAN will also go and congratulate the person again. We have also taken decision to see the opposition and share with them to encourage the rightful moves.
“I do not see why we should be fighting over this. We have been confronting this administration with the truth. How can the elders forum want to summon the CAN president and direct him on what to do? It is not proper”.