Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Tuesday said it had not changed its position on the same-faith ticket and declared that the body will not endorse any presidential candidate for the forthcoming election.
”If we want to change any position, we’ll let the Nigerian public know,” the Christian body said on a day the presidential candidates of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party, Peter Obi, and their Social Democratic Party (SDP), counterpart, Adewole Adebayo, met with its leadership to discuss issues of concern to Christians in the country, ahead of the 2023 elections.
In his remarks, the CAN President during the meeting, Daniel Okoh, said CAN is very careful not to be partisan, insisting that its position on same-faith ticket remains unchanged.
“We have not changed our position (on same-faith ticket). If we want to change any position, we’ll let the Nigerian public know. And so, when people read insinuations in the social media, I will advise that people to come verify, and to be sure that what they see out there is truly the position of CAN.
“This year, CAN has decided to expand this interactive session to include the media and other leaders so that the conversation will be seen to be as open as possible, and that the people will see that there is no secret. There are no secret meetings and there is nothing hidden at all in any conversation.
“We gave two dates and we wrote to all the 18 presidential candidates and we invited all to interactive sessions on November 15 and November 16.
“We are not going to endorse any political party. And we also want to let you know that the Christian Association of Nigeria has taken a stand on a number of political issues in this country, not for the church alone, but for the well-being of the people and the future of our country.
“And we are not about to change those positions we have taken because it took us a long time to arrive at those positions and decisions,” the president of the association said.
CAN, however, presented an 11-point demand entitled, ‘Charter for Future Nigeria’ to the presidential candidates which outlined key areas of interest for the good of the common man.
The religious body also added that a holistic amendment of the 1999 Constitution was a necessity for justice, peace, unity, prosperity and progress of the nation.
