Groups urge CAN to be neutral in 2019 elections

The Concerned Christians Forum on Monday advised the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to maintain a neutral position as the 2019 general elections campaigns kick off.

The National Coordinator of the group, Elder James Amedu, also urged CAN to refrain from making political statements.

Amedu said in Lagos that any attempt to politicise Christendom in the days leading to the 2019 elections should be resisted by the Christian body.

According to him, CAN should neither delve into politics nor utter statements that run contrary to the Christian faith.

“CAN must not be seen as working for any party. Some of the CAN leaders have desecrated their pulpits by campaigning for certain candidates, under the pretext that they are relaying God’s voice,’’ he said.

Amedu recalled that four years ago, in the build up to the 2015 General Elections, the Christian faith was ridiculed repeatedly because CAN was seen to be supporting the then ruling PDP.

According to him, the then CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, allegedly reduced the association to the outsourced PR firm of the PDP.

He said many Nigerians were burdened that Christendom was being politicised in the country again.

“This is most unfortunate as CAN is rapidly being dragged back to the Oritsejafor era with all the damages likely to be done to the Christian Faith,’’ he said.