The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has reacted to a letter currently in circulation on social media, alleging that the sum of N2 billion was given by the presidential candidate of the Labour party, Mr Peter Obi to Churches under the umbrella of CAN.
CAN’s reaction is contained in a statement signed by Archbishop Daniel C. Okoh, its President, and made available to reporters on Sunday.
The CAN president stated categorically that the so-called letter of petition reportedly signed by one Pastor Frank Onwumere and addressed to the office of CAN President is illogical and can best be described as a failed attempt to drag the apex Christian body into the politics of 2023.
The statement said that CAN will investigate the source of the letter in the interest of the public.
To set the records straight, CAN said it was not aware of any N2 billion given to churches in Nigeria to mobilise votes for any 2023 presidential candidate and never received the said petition dated December 22, 2022.
“Nigerians should note that CAN, as a faith-based entity, maintains its non-partisan stance and will not endorse or mobilise support for any candidate in the upcoming elections as against the social media post being circulated by some elements bent on soiling its name and image,” the statement spelt out.
The apex Christian body, therefore, called on Nigerians to disregard the purported letter of petition as its contents are not only untrue but malicious.
“We warn those peddling the falsehood to desist from such acts because they are capable of defaming innocent people and revered religious institutions as well as breaching public peace,” it said.
Meanwhile, Pastor Frank Alozie Onwumere has denied a petition purported to have been written by him on social media that the Presidential candidate of labour Party Mr Peter Obi gave churches under the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) N2billion in order to campaign for him in their various churches.
According to him, he said that he is not a member of Dominion Center International Church which was use to write the said petition and equally denied having any relationship with the organisation.
He said this on Sunday in a post on his official Facebook page, when reacting to the news trending on social media that he wrote a petition against churches under the umbrella of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria demanding for the explanation and disbursements of N2billion given by Peter Obi to churches to help convince their members to vote for him.
He further stated that he did not authored such petition nor ask anybody to do so on his behalf stressing that the author of the said petition is not known to him.
His Statement Reads
Re: “Petition on the misappropriation of N2 Billion given by the presidential candidate of Labour party, Mr Peter Obi to Churches under the umbrella of CAN…”
My attention has been drawn to a petition with the above subject matter purportedly written by one Pastor Frank Onwumere of Dominion Center International.
I wish to use this medium to inform the public, my associates, friends and family, that I, Hon. Pastor Frank Alozie Onwumere, did not author the said petition, and did not authorize anybody to do so on my behalf. Please be informed that:
I am not a member of Dominion Center International and have never had any relationship with the organisation.
The author of the petition is not known to me.
Please be assured that it is not in my character to malign any person or institution, let alone revered religious bodies.
