Leaders of the Imo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have rejected the appointment of an acting chairman to oversee the affairs of the association in the state, insisting that the inconclusive chairmanship election must be properly concluded in line with the CAN constitution.

The leaders, drawn from four of the five recognised blocs of CAN in Imo State, made their position known during a courtesy visit to the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, at the Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, on Monday.

The blocs represented were the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN/PFN), Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) and TEKAN/ECWA.

Speaking on behalf of the leaders, former Director of Legal and Public Affairs of CAN in Imo State, Barr. Oluchukwu Nnabugwu, described the concept of an acting chairmanship as alien, illegal and unconstitutional within the association.

He recalled that the election of a new CAN chairman in Imo State was declared inconclusive in June 2025 after the 15-man Electoral College, made up of three members from each bloc, reportedly elected Very Rev. Fr. Gerald Njoku, subject to ratification by the General Assembly.

Nnabugwu said the leaders were concerned that the national leadership of CAN opted to appoint an acting chairman instead of ensuring the conclusion of the election that had been left unresolved for about six months.

According to him, the church in Imo State is united in its position that it is the turn of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria to produce the next chairman, as stipulated by the CAN constitution. He added that the blocs would continue to resist division, injustice and abuse of constitutional provisions.

The leaders therefore called on the national leadership of CAN to uphold the constitution and allow due process to prevail.

“We dissociate ourselves completely from any form of illegal, unconstitutional, ad-hoc or acting leadership in CAN Imo State that is not Catholic,” the leaders said in a joint position. “We categorically state that we shall no longer recognise, identify with or relate to any such leadership, regardless of the nomenclature used.

“It is strange and unprecedented in the history of CAN since the adoption of the current constitution for the sacred office of State Chairman to be occupied in an acting capacity for six months, especially when a duly screened and approved Catholic candidate already exists.”

They further declared that the four blocs would neither attend nor participate in any CAN programme or activity in Imo State under the present leadership arrangement, except for a programme convened by the national or zonal leadership of CAN solely for the formal handover of power to the CSN bloc.

The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to peace, unity and constitutionalism, stressing that their stance was neither political nor personal.

“Our stand is not political, personal or denominationally aggressive. It is biblical, constitutional and moral,” they stated. (Vanguard)

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