A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank yesterday called on the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle to stop denigrating Christians in Nigeria.
Frank in a statement in Abuja also urged Dr. Ayokunle to face his priestly duties instead of using his sacred office to aid and abet corruption.
He said it was a mortal sin for the CAN head to portray the highly revered Christian body in the country as being pro-corruption through his recent comments.
It could be recalled that Ayokunle visited Osinbajo in Abuja on Friday and later spoke with reporters at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, where he met with top members of CAN.
He declared Osinbajo innocent of the N90 billion allegation against him without proof and vowed to mobilise Christians against any act to destroy the works of the Vice President.
Frank said: “As a Christian, I am ashamed of the attitude and character of this present CAN president in the person of Rev. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle.
“CAN in its original form represents the body of Christ and Ayokunle ought to have known that it owes the citizenry or at least God, an obligation to win souls, be good ambassadors of the church and crusade for good governance.
“As a supposed shepherd of the nation’s Christian body, if two of your sheep have a misunderstanding, I think you ought to have heard from both parties before taking a position.
“I am however not surprised because like pregnancy evil cannot be hidden under tainted cassocks and collars.
“I have heard from not a few reliable quarters that he often goes cap in hand before politicians in the name of praying for them.
“It is shameful that the CAN President has turned the body of Christ into a political pressure group.
“At least, even if it is now a political party, he ought to have allowed its spokesman to speak on behalf of the organization.
“A President of CAN who could not get to interview the COZA pastor in view of the yet to be proved rape allegations against him, now deemed it expedient to defend fraud allegations against the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.”
He added: “I have not seen the CAN president visit Plateau or Benue States and other cities in Nigeria where a lot of Christians and innocent Nigerians are being gruesomely murdered by herders.
“Let the CAN President visit grieving Christian families in affected villages or for once speak out against oppression and bad governance in the country instead of banding himself together with queer characters to grant press conferences in support of corruption.
“The CAN president ought to know that it is utterly reprehensible to turn a sacred priestly body into a partisan vehicle for alms solicitations.
“People like Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and Patience Jonathan have been falsely accused in this country but CAN never interfered in any manner.
“Also, where was Ayokunle when Prof. Yemi Osinbajo accused ex-President Goodluck Jonathan of sharing N150 billion within two weeks prior to the 2015 general elections – an allegation that was widely reported by the media?
“Could it be that Mr. CAN President, sorry, Chairman of CAN Political Party (CANPP) took part in the illegal disbursements of taxpayers’ funds at FIRS?
“Let him tell Christian leaders who elected him how much Osinbajo and Fowler gave him to organize such an ignominious press conference.
“These are men of doubtful character that must be urgently tamed before they inflict further harm on the reputation of Christians in this country.
“The character of this man is highly suspect but I apologize on behalf of all well-meaning Christians and their leaders for this attempt by Ayokunle to stain their garments.
“Late Martin Luther King Jr. was a religious leader, who used his position to fight for the oppressed and downtrodden in society. Let Ayokunle learn from such noble men how to be a voice for the voiceless in Christendom.
He however called on CAN to immediately take steps to bring on board a leadership that truly embodies the aims and objectives of the body.
“This CAN president is a no show and I urge the governing body of CAN to act swiftly to correct the evil impression or else the present CAN leadership would henceforth be regarded as the servants of mammon rather than servants of God.
“Very soon, God would expose him and every other person that is bent on giving CAN and by extension Nigerian Christians a bad name,” he said.
He called on Osinbajo to steer clear of Mr. Ayokunle and his band as they are only out to benefit from his predicament.
“As a learned gentleman, I humbly advise Prof. Osinbajo, not to take the intervention from CAN as an endorsement. Let him be wary of characters who are out to drag him into further trouble,” he said.
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