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The new President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh has condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC) for flagging a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Archbishop Okoh, who was inaugurated as the 8th President of CAN at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja on Thursday, however, advised that no matter what happens, Christians must resolve to make a positive impact.
The new CAN President, who is expected to serve a single five-year term, in his acceptance speech, charged President Muhammadu Buhari to quell the rising insecurity in the country.
“While thanking the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) for his efforts to combat terrorism and banditry, I would like to appeal to His Excellency to end the bloodletting, kidnapping and general insecurity in all the geo-political zones of the country.
“I believe that the government can do more to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians given all the modern technology within its reach,” Okoh said.
According to him, the need for CAN to respond appropriately to national issues is imperative while assuring that the apex Christian organisation would continue to participate actively and effectively in nation building.
“We are coming in at the time that all of us in the Christian faith believe that some sections of political leaders are not sensitive to the diverse nature of our population when certain decisions are being made.
“Many Christians feel and have the genuine fear that there is a deliberate plan to remove the Christian faith from the scheme of things and make us second-class citizens in our own country – genuine fear borne out of the recent happenings in our polity i.e. the same-faith ticket in one of the major political parties in Nigeria despite the caution raised by CAN since two years ago.
“Whatever happens, no matter how many times our sensibilities are insulted, we must resolve to make a positive impact on the political, economic and social systems of our dear nation,” he said.
Nevertheless, Okoh stated that for Christians to remain relevant in the scheme of things, the first step was to increase CAN’s efforts to work towards Christian unity and mutual understanding among the denominations of the Church in Nigeria.
The General Assembly of CAN formally validated the election of Okoh as its new President on Thursday, thereby bringing to an end the tenure of Dr Samson Olusupo-Ayokunle.
His recommendation by an electoral college which was set up to screen and suggest candidates for the offices of the President and Vice President, respectively, as presented by the blocs that have rights of nomination was in line with the provisions of the 2021 CAN constitution as amended.
The Archbishop, who is the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church International, Onitsha, emerged as the new spiritual leader of CAN, after getting a 100 per cent vote of all 259 delegates who participated in its 12th General Assembly.
Ayokunle told his successor to love the people irrespective of their weaknesses.
“The people will annoy him, make him angry, and may not even appreciate him, but he must continue to seek the good of the people,” he advised.