CAN elections: Tension over alleged moves to arrest Oritsejafor, others

With less than 48 hours to the election in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), to pick new national leaders, indications emerged on Monday night that security agents may be planning to arrest its incumbent President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and some other key officials.

The planned move according to sources may be executed during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association.

Others said to be on the list include General Secretary of CAN, Rev. Musa Asake and CAN Director of National Issues, Elder Sunday Oibe in a move that would play out in favour of certain aggrieved parties in the contest.

CAN officials are however going ahead with the two-day meeting where the election would be conducted.

Recall that Ripples Nigeria had earlier reported that a top presidency official had interest in the CAN election, and was routing for a particular candidate in the election.

Already there was tension in CAN last night as plain-clothed security officers were said to be hunting some of the association’s leaders.

Read also: Exclusive… CAN presidency: Furore over Oritsejafor’s plot to install successor

Sources revealed last night that the plain-clothes security operatives were in possession of SMS and WhatApp messages threatening to eliminate some of the CAN leaders.

But some key leaders in CAN were wondering why the security agencies would allow themselves to be used to arrest and intimidate individuals in a purely spiritual exercise as the election of a CAN President.

Also, delegates from the five different blocs of CAN had started arriving Abuja for the scheduled NEC meeting which will determine the next direction of the umbrella body of Christians.

According to the schedule, the two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) have been set aside for majorly two things: the election of the next CAN president and the ratification of the new CAN constitution which had been completed by a committee set up by the National Advisory Council of CAN about two years ago.

Asake had stated last night that plans have reached advanced stage for the election.

According to him, contrary to insinuations, the CAN Secretariat has not been served any court summons that some people have gone to court to obtain an exparte order suspending the election.

“There are rumours all over the place but there are no papers on your table”‘ he stated.

Asake said the next CAN President will be elected by a total of 101 voters: every bloc brings 10 delegates, all the state chairmen plus the Federal Capital (FCT) making 37 votes, all the six zonal leaders, five national directors, the president, Vice President, the General Secretary and the Treasurer all have one vote each.

“We are on target and we are praying that everything will go as planned because this is an issue of Christians and we hope to finish the entire exercise without any rancour”, he said.

 

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