The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied endorsing Chief Joe Gadzama, SAN, for the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) but only prayed for the best to emerge as the leader of the Association.
In a letter written of 7th July, and signed by the General Secretary of CAN, Barrister Joseph Bade Daramola, to the President of the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), CAN leadership washes its hands off of such an endorsement as interpreted from an earlier letter he wrote to the group.
“Reference to the letter addressed to CLASFON on the above subject matter, we write to correct the impression that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has endorsed any sole candidate for the President of NBA considering the fact that there may be some other contestants in the race. CAN is not and will never be a partisan Body.
“We therefore, write to disabuse the minds of all concerned that this Association is not in support of any particular candidate in the race over any candidate,” the letter read in part.
Daramola concluded the letter with a prayer; “we pray for the best to emerge as the leader of this noble Association (NBA).”
In a related development, the CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, who is away from the country has reiterated the position of the Association in remaining neutral in the NBA Election in an interview granted to an online media.
“We never took any decision to back any candidate. We have no preferred candidate. All we can do is to pray for the best of the three candidates, who will use the position to serve God and humanity to emerge, Ayokunle said.
The controversy arose when Gadzama paid a courtesy call on the CAN leadership in the last NEC meeting held in Ibadan where he solicited for their prayers and moral support for the election.
▪︎ By Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Media Assistant to the CAN President.