Biodun Esan, Ilorin
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Church of Anglican Communion, Kwara State, have dissociated themselves from the purported endorsement of any governorship candidate and political party in the state.
This is contained in a statement signed by Most Rev Israel Afolabi Amoo, Archbishop of Kwara Province of the Anglican Communion on behalf of eight other Bishops in the province.
The Archbishop declared that neither CAN nor Anglican Communion has endorsed and candidate or party for the governorship and House of Assembly election
The cleric therefore dissociated Anglican communion and CAN from what he called misleading and all ill calculated endorsement of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State.
“The purported endorsement was conceived, concerted and given birth to by a charlatan whose stock in trade is to denigrate CAN and its leadership by dragging it into partisan politics,” the Archbishop said.
According to him, there was no time that CAN as a body either clandestinely or overtly met to endorse the said party as a party of choice for the Christian community in the state.
Bishop Amoo said CAN members were invited to the Government House to meet the governor.
“The god’s project” remains a personal project of individual or the baby of some self and relevance seeking politician who is out to be seen as doing the bidding of their political father of which they were paid for.
“The endorsement meeting was a product of deceit veneered as courtesy visit. Our members who were invited were not aware of the evil intention of endorsement and the press coverage was not a true reflection of what happened in the said meeting.
“The governor has neither met nor requested for an endorsement of the Christian community up-till now.
“The glitz of media endorsement by CAN was not only shocking, but devilish and ungodly.
“Therefore, all members of the Church of Nigeria, in the province of Kwara Anglican Communion and all Spirit-filled Christians are urged to disregard the misleading publication in all its entirety and see that it does not accentuate to division of the body of Christ in the state. This abnormality will also come to pass,” he added.
Bishop Amoo therefore urged Christians in the state to continue to pray for peaceful governorship and state assembly election across the country and Kwara state in particular.
Meanwhile, Rev Father Raph Ajewole, the Director of Ecumenical of CAN, has also described the claim of the purported endorsement on the social media as ungodly, evil and satanic.
Speaking on Radio Kwara on the purported CAN endorsement, which had generated arguments in the state, Rev Ajewole said CAN has not been invited nor met with the Governor and has no problem or disagreement with anybody, state or group.
Ajewole said CAN in Kwara State has been praying for the governor, politicians for peace and harmony to continue to reign in the state.
He explained that the group that went to visit the governor recently is “god’s project”, which is an individual and personal project that has nothing to do with the CAN.
The Rev Father added that CAN members that were in attendance where the purported endorsement was made were not there to represent the association.
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