Members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Nineteen Northern States and FCT have been urged to remain focused and distance themselves from any form of division in order to address the insecurity challenges facing the region.
The call was made by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) North East, Bishop Mohammed Naga, in a statement he made available to newsmen on Saturday in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, while reacting to the ongoing leadership crisis in the Northern Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by Rev. Dr. Joseph Hayab.
Mohammed Naga said that all members of the Association in the North East sub-region and by extension the North Central and North West, are fully aligned with the leadership of Reverend Dr. Joseph Hayab, who was constitutionally elected President of the 19 Northern States of the CAN and the FCT in February 2025.
Then on a Sunday, he warned Oibe, who is standing as secretary alongside Rev. Yakubu Pam as president, to desist immediately as the Court had ruled against him.
Mohammed Naga, General Overseer of the Bible Christian Church (BCC) in Nigeria, has stated that it has become imperative for him to speak out on the recent media hype sponsored by Sunday Oibe that the recent ruling of the Federal High Court does not in any way affirm or legitimize the claim of Rev. Joseph Hayab to the presidency of the Association.
In his words: “On behalf of the Christian Association of North East Nigeria (CAN), I am the President of the North East CAN and also the Secretary General of 19 Northern States and FCT CAN which we were duly elected in February 2025.
“The so-called Sunday Oibe, who presents himself as Secretary, has never been elected to such an exalted position, but was asked to finish the term of Lawyer Danladi, whom God called to Glory.
“Even in the CAN North candidacy that is underway, the election was held in 2016, so if it is calculated until 2025, the number of years that has passed would be known, which automatically indicates that its mandate has elapsed since then.”
Mohammed Naga emphasized that, “Therefore, the office of Sunday Oibe has expired, and all the presidents of the Northern CAN met in Abuja and constitutionally resolved, they held an election which has so far led to the leadership of Reverend Dr. Joseph Hayab as the current president of the Northern CAN, and we in the North East, do not recognize Sunday Oibe as our leader and they are no longer our leader. They should desist from parading themselves as such.
“Whether or not there was a ruling by the Court, it is true that there is no constitutional support that justifies them saying that they are our leaders.
“This Northern CAN, as far as we are concerned, is our legacy and heritage. Our ancestors left it to us in the name of all Christendom in Northern Nigeria, and we have to protect it.”
He pointed out that the whole thing was that there was an overwhelming advance of Christianity, but their ancestors fought, fought for them and developed a resistance force where each one is expected to face their own religion.
He added that “this fight like the one on Sunday Oibe taking people to the Court when there was no legal support is out of place, the Court has ruled on the issue, why should it be making noise, rest assured that there are no people with him, we in the Northeast are not with him, not even in the North Center, the Vice President of the Northern CAN, is the President of the North Central Zonal CAN, which is constitutionally constituted, and I humbly as President of the Northern Zonal CAN.
“So if you look at it, all the presidents of the North Central, North West and North East states are all in this CAN Northern issue. In fact, the whole issue behind this is that the acclaimed Sunday Oibe leaders are no longer relevant, they do not convince everyone, there is no tangible or viable evidence of what they have done for the North.”
He also noted that they met several times as CAN presidents in the northern part and held fruitful deliberations on how to move forward peacefully.
He stressed: “May Oibe be assured on Sunday that his position has expired and that he should not run again as leader. I speak on behalf of the presidents of the CAN of the North, that we are together, we are solidified, we are strong, vibrant and we are up to the task.”
Mohammed Naga concluded: “Let me also appeal to our members in the northern states and FCT to remain calm, focus, pray and ignore the current media distortions sponsored mainly by Sunday Oibe.”