PDP crisis: CAN flays bishops for visiting Atiku, Nyako

The Christian Association of Nigeria has berated some Christian clerics from the Niger Delta for attempting to mediate between warring factions in the Peoples Democratic Party. It said the intervention was not their calling.

Some bishops from the region reportedly visited former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, and Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, in their quest to reconcile the G-7 governors in the breakaway faction known as the New PDP with the mainstream.

The President, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, urged the clerics to stay away from the PDP crisis. While he denied knowing them, he described their activities as worrisome. He added that CAN was apolitical and would not dabble in the PDP crisis.

However, some clergymen, under the aegis of Global Peace Relief Initiative, on Wednesday, accused the CAN President of getting involved in politics of calumny and name dropping.

The group, led by Prophet Jones Erue, in a statement, said no amount of blackmail or intimidation would deter them from the noble mission of rescuing the country from imminent collapse.

Speaking to our correspondent on Friday, the Secretary-General, CAN, Musa Asake, said the clerics were doing the wrong thing at the wrong place. He said he found their activities questionable.

Asake said, “The so-called pastors that said they were negotiating; they have more problems in the church, have they negotiated that? It is out of their calling. And for them to turn around to criticise the CAN President is very unfortunate and puts a question mark on their calling.

“If you deviate from the truth just accept it. They are looking for an excuse. They found themselves is a wrong place. They are pastors; they are not expected to deal with political parties with internal crises.”

The CAN secretary faulted the stance of those who accused Oritsejafor of romancing with the Presidency. He alleged that the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar was more frequent at the Presidential Villa than Oritsejafor.

He said, “The Sultan is always at the Villa; he is closer to the government than the CAN President is. And nobody is talking about that. Just because we have been keeping quiet? Has President Goodluck Jonathan said he had done anything and the CAN President was out to support him? I don’t know why they have their eyes on the CAN President? The Sultan does more; he is closer to the government and nobody talks about that.”

Erue, in the Wednesday statement, had also said, “It is surprising that Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the CAN President, will handle issues of immense gravity and national importance with levity and without discretion.

“For the CAN president to say CAN is apolitical is laughable, as the same president is involved in politics of calumny and name-dropping. We want to place it on record that the bishops and clerics in this body may not own private jets, but they are men of unquestionable character, dependable leaders, and stewards of peace and holders of reputable degrees.”

CAN’s South-South Chairman, Archbishop God-Dowell Avwomakpa, had announced the suspension the the clerics from the association.

The Bishops  and Eminent Clerics Forum of Nigeria had in Abuja on Friday criticised CAN for its suspension of the forum’s members.

Erue had threatened legal action against Avwomakpa and CAN, saying the former had no capacity to suspend them.