By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
Jigawa state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said that its unity is non negotiable as it remains the central unit of all christian activities in the state
The CAN Chairman Rev Father Maurice Kole Hassan while briefing newsmen at the CAN headquarters in Dutse, the state capital said “there is no any division. The association remains one and united in JIgawa state”.
According to the chairman “Our attention has been drawn to a publication in the media (not National Update) titled; FG’s Palliative of 600 bags of Rice divides CAN in JIgawa state, which emanated from one pastor Ibrahim Yahaya, a pastor of Evangelical Church of Christ in Nigeria (ECCN where he claimed there was injustice in the selective collections and distribution of palliative in the state “.
The CAN chairman pointed out that “We the Christian Association of Nigeria, JIgawa state chapter are highly disappointed with the malicious and reckless way this pastor behaved”.
Rev Father Hassan explained that “he (pastor Ibrahim) was never part of CAN executive either at the state or local government levels, hence he is not a stakeholder.
He never identified himself with CAN and it’s activities in anyway, only to surface as a faceless stakeholder”.
“We highly condemn in a strong term the reckless manna in which he approached the state government without expressing his grievances through the right channel first before taking such steps”.
He maintained that they expected him to have behave maturely by claiming his share of the rice through his TEKAN/ECWA block or Hadejia local government where he belongs to”.
CAN insisted that as the body of Christ under the leadership of Rev Fr Hassan they are solidly united and stronger both at the state and local government levels saying that at no time were they divided.
Rev Fr. Hassan urged the pastoral Block where he came from to consider sanctioning him, “to act as a deterrence to other potential misguided and selfish individuals like him”.
The association therefore expressed appreciation to the president and JIgawa state governor, “we appreciate the kindness and benevolence of His excellency president Bola Ahmed Tinibu for the palliative given to the CAN in JIgawa state.
“We also thank His excellency governor Malam Umar Namadi for the confidence and trust he reposed in us”.