The series of protests that have continued to trail the emergence of Reverend Supo Ayokunle as the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been linked to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) David Babachir Lawal, a source has revealed.
The emergence of Reverend Supo Ayokunle as the President of CAN have witnessed incessant protests by some Christian groups who identified themselves as Northern Christian Association of Nigeria.
The latest in the series of protests was staged last Thursday at the National Christian Centre, Abuja led by one Reverend Shehu Luka who demanded the outright cancellation of the election that brought in Reverend Supo Ayokunle as CAN President.
The source who confided in selects correspondents however, advised the APC-led Federal Government to caution its officials from dabbling into the activities of CAN, stressing that doing so may come with grievous consequences.
He however, described the protest as “hand of Esau and Voice of Jacob” explaining that Mr. Babachir Lawal is the big hand behind the scene in a bid to take charge of the Christian body for reason best known to him.
It was further alleged that the SGF had earlier wanted the ECWA President, Reverend Jeremiah Gado to emerge the CAN President, an ambition that did not sailed through, which is now been fought through this renewed campaign of street and media protest against the Reverend Supo-led CAN.
The SGF was also accused of orchestrating the removal of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), John-Kennedy Opara, on the excuse that some northern Christians are complaining.
John-Kennedy Opara was replaced with Reverend Isaac Ambi of ECWA Church Kaduna South DCC, and SGF David Lawal is a member of ECWA who was accused of supporting the candidature of Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Gado the present ECWA President for the CAN Presidency.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria, Barrister Danladi Yerima has distanced the Northern CAN from the series of protests against the leadership of Reverend Supo Ayokunle declaring that the Northern Christians are 100% behind the new leadership of CAN.
Yerima, who described as unfortunate the action of those elements who have decided to make themselves willing tools to fight and destabilise the church for whatever reason best known to them urged them to repent from such act.
Danladi Yerima whose leadership spanned the Nineteen Northern States and Abuja spoke to our correspondent in a telephone interview where he denied the involvement of it Youth Wing in any protest against the Reverend Supo-led CAN stressing that they were together on Friday with the Youth Leader of the Northern CAN and no protest issue was discussed.
According to him “election has been held and we have elected our leader to lead us and would support him 100%. In fact if there is anything like 101% we would give him.
When asked if he is aware that some top government functionaries are behind the series of protests, Yerima said “so we heard, as you were told we also heard that some Christians in the government are behind this, but its unfortunate if you are a Christian and you choose to fight the church.
“If you are fighting the church, you are fighting God and be ready for the consequences,” he concluded.
It would be recalled that the General Church Council of the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA in April unanimously endorsed the ECWA president, Rev. Jeremiah Gado to vie for the position of the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and prayed for his success in the coming election.
In a communique issued in Jos at the end of its 63rd General Church Council Meeting, the Council observed that the ECWA/TEKAN bloc of the Association has never occupied the seat of the Association’s president and in line with CAN’s rotational principle, Rev. Gado should vie for the seat.
However, Reverend Supo Ayokunle emerged CAN President amidst protest from the same ECWA/TEKAN bloc raising allegation that the election is marred with irregularities, and some elements of illegalities and impunity, but the allegation was dismissed by other blocs who participated in the election describing the allegations as tissues of lies.
