The Leadership Impasse in the body of Christ, 'the Christian Association of Nigeria', (CAN) in Ebonyi state has taken another dimension as the factional Chairman, Pastor (Dr) Aloysius Nweke Ogah has maintained he is the authentic Chairman of CAN in the state, describing Rev Scamb Nwokolo as illegal occupant of the position in the state.
Ogah, stated further that the chairmanship position in Ebonyi CAN became vacant the day Rev Fr. Abraham Nwali's tenure expired.
Pastor Aloysius Nweke Ogah, while speaking to Journalist in response to the communique that poportedly passed vote of confidence in Scamb Nwokolo led CAN in Ebonyi state, described the communique as unnecessary and exercise in futility, vowing that Nwokolo will never lead CAN in the state as the said election that brought him remains 'null and void'.
According to him, "The position of Ebonyi state Christian Association of Nigeria has been vacant since Rev Fr Abraham Nwali left office.
"One Scamb Nwokolo was illegally occupying that position which he has no right whatsoever to be there.
"He was said to be elected but as long as Nwokolo is concern, was Null and void, it was said that it's dead on arrival but in this case, it was dead before ever it arrived.
"Why?, he's not from this state. he's from Anambra state and we have been saying that, let Ebonyi CAN remain Ebonyi CAN.
"let it remain Ebonyi own, and Ebonyi State is the only state in this country where none indigenes are in not only in CAN leadership structure,but also trying to take over the whole leadership.
"From the time Ebonyi state was created in 1996, the chairman of CAN was first occupied by Bishop B. C. B Onyigbo from Anambra state, then, Bishop (Dr) Onyenze from Imo state, then, Bishop Akupusi from Abia state.
"At the end of Akupusi's tenure, B.C.B Onyigbo wanted to come in the 2nd time being pushed by this present Scamb Nwokolo and we rose up, we the indigenes rose up and said no and we protested demanding that they should allow indigenes to rule the state as it's in other states. So, we went to Abuja where national leadership sent Bishop Ajujungwa who came and monitor the election, he saw our and Rev Dr Emmanuel Nshi of Assemblies of God emerged which was the first time Ebonyi indigene become Leader of Ebonyi CAN.
"At the end of Dr Nshi's tenure, another election was conducted, this Nwokolo who saw how we had stood out ground against none indigene coming to lead us went and mobilized in both cash and thugs from Anambra and contested against Rev Fr Abraham Nwali.
"When, His Excellency the former Governor, Engr David Umahi saw what was happening, he intervened and we campaign seriously and Rev Fr Abraham Nwali became the 2nd Ebonyi man to occupy that office.
"At the end tenure of Rev Fr Nwali, Nwokolo came up the third time and the election was done secretly on 13th June last year, it was not advertised either in radio nor newspaper as everything about the announcement was done in blocks. And we asked, what did he meant that election involving entire state christian is said to be done in blocks.
"And in the first place, Nwokolo was not qualified to be there as none indigene which he's and aware of how we feel. He said that, he came from Organization of Africa Instituted Churches,OAIC block and our question is; are there no other qualify Ebonyi person to go for the position in OAIC as we know that there are professors, Archbishop, Bishop and all other personalities there?
"OAIC presented a wrong candidate in the person of Nwokolo and that's why we are saying that the office is vacant and I took over the position because he's not our chairman and never will. If he said that he was elected, I said that such election was null and void even before it was conducted because he has no locus.
"To make him Ebonyi CAN Chairman is not biblical, Bible condemned bringing a stranger to head a people that are hosting him, Deuteronomy 17:15. Also, Nigeria constitution condemned it, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru is a governor of Ebonyi state today is because he didn't come from either Abia, maidugri nor Imo state. He is a bonafide citizen of Ebonyi. As it is in the secular world so it is spiritually.
"When we speak, they said ecumenism, ecumenism. Yes, it is ecumenism for a Christian to come together, but you can't against the Bible principle because it is stated that you can't head your host.
"Deuteronomy 17:15, ecumenism cannot cancel Bible, Nigeria constitution does not support it, and even nature is against it. I cannot just rise and go to Holy Roman Catholic church nor Anglican to head their leadership, it doesn't happen.
Nwokolo doesn't not qualify to serve as Ebonyi state CAN Chairman which he's aware as we fought it in his presence prior to emergence of Rev Dr Emmanuel Nshi and Rev Fr Dr Abraham Nwali and he can't bridge it which will not work.
"Beyond this, Nwokolo and Anayo Ilo are terrible people not only in CAN but even in blocks. He and cohorts manned division in PFN and planted one Prophet Obaji against Wilberforce Otti and split PFN, and there's trouble there.
"How can you be in other people state and all you do is causing division I stead of making peace which is not biblical which if you read proverb chapter 6, you see that God doesn't like such people bringing discord among his people.
"There's a body called Indigenous Ministers of God Association of Ebonyi state which I am the national president, but same Nwokolo,Anayo Ilo and Rev Fr Nwali conspired to plant one Usulor who have been making trouble and parading himself as the national president.
"During the former Governor, Engr David Umahi, he called me and ask if I took those ministers to court, I was invited and after hearing from me asked that I withdrew the case and directed Rev Fr Abraham Nwali to look into it. Fr Nwali invited us on March 2018, but never gave verdict, but on March 2019, he called Usulor and inaugurated him as the chairman against me. Thank God that the former Governor intervened and rebuked the move.
"We never knew that these divided to rule was a plan for Nwokolo to pave way for him to grab power. Every other election conducted that day was legal,but that of Nwokolo is an abbaretion because Nwokolo and cohorts are corrupt.
"Last Christmas, His Excellency the governor of the state gave Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN Christmas largesse to the sum of 100,000,000(One hundred million naira) and 1000(one thousand) bags of rice, but he didn't share up to twenty bags of rice, but took the remaining one to his Umunze town in Anambra state where he shared it and people were hailing him as a hero while ministers here in Ebonyi state celebrated Christmas on empty stomach.
"We're demanding that he should pay this money and we have written to the national office as to inform them.
"Looking at some of these things,we cannot bear it any longer. Nwokolo was a vice chairman of CAN under Rev Fr Abraham Nwali and occupying the chairman of head of block at the same time and always collect double share of whatever is coming to CAN including cars for which he gave one to his concubine, and we are demanding that he returns it.
"So, we are no more kidding. 2017, in Anambra state,one Rev Dr John Ndubuisi from Abia state was elected as CAN Chairman and thesame Nwokolo alongside his group protested until he was removed from office paving way for an Anambra indigene to held the position, but he's here doing thesame thing he fought in Anambra.
"All the members of EXCO who signed the vote of confidence were those who did not get the message we sent to them, but we have reached them to relay rightly what is happening. Any Ebonyi person rising up to deny what we are doing is a Judas Iscariot in our midst.
"We want to inform the general public that Ebonyi State has come of age and mo more neo-colonalism, no more taking what belong to us to another state. Since, 1976, that CAN was created,by Nbang, Nwokolo has been there after 48 years, which if Nwokolo is in civil service would have retired. He has no other business rather than CAN. That's his ministry, business and source of income which is why he's finding it difficult to leave.
"We want to state it categorically that if anybody had elected him in that election, it's null and void because it is contrary to the country's constitution, nature and Christianity and we are drama that he returns every property of CAN with him and our money.
Pastor Ogah further emphasized that the state Executive under his watch would not resort to court as all the biblical peaceful resolution and moral persuasion must be exhausted before taking the issue to the court.
"We have to exhaust all biblical provisions for peaceful resolution and moral persuasion before thinking about court, while we don't forget that the state is not a lawless nation.
"We have reached the National Executive with our reports.
"As for the block, we have five blocks which I equally belong to, and every christian is a member of CAN.
"Our action is not going to tear the christian body apart, rather will bringing peace because falsehood, corruption and the divide and rule they're practicing is what we are trying to bring to end.
"So, what we are saying is that stranger cannot head his host", Ogah concluded.
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