News

COUNT US OUT OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL LIST – CAN

October 30, 2026 • Dons Eze • 2 min read

The Enugu State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has dissociated itself from a campaign council list of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State circulating on social media.

In a disclaimer dated October 29, 2026, and signed by its Secretary, Rev. Innocent Offor, the association said its attention was drawn to the list which purportedly named its State Chairman, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Ernest Aneziechukwu Obodo, Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu, and other Christian leaders as members of the Enugu State APC Campaign Council.

CAN described the inclusion as unauthorised, stating categorically that neither the Association nor the named religious leaders were consulted before the publication.

“For the avoidance of doubt, CAN Enugu wishes to state categorically that neither the Association nor the named religious leaders were consulted before the publication of the said list. CAN Enugu did not authorise, endorse, or consent to the inclusion of its leadership in the campaign council,” the statement said.

The Association stressed that the publication should not be construed as its political affiliation or endorsement of any political party, noting that CAN is a religious body committed to Christian unity and must remain non-partisan.

“It is therefore inappropriate for the names of Christian leaders to be presented as members of a partisan political campaign structure without their prior knowledge, consultation, and consent. Any attempt to associate them with a particular political party risks creating unnecessary division within the Church,” the disclaimer added.

CAN Enugu therefore urged the public, especially Christians, to disregard any suggestion that its leadership has endorsed or joined the APC campaign council, and called on the publishers of the list to correct the impression created by the unauthorised publication.

The list in question, titled “FAITH-BASE (CHRISTIANS)”, lists Most Rev. Fr. Ernest Obodo as Director, alongside over 30 other clergymen as members.

CAN maintained that “The Church belongs to Christ and must remain a home for all, irrespective of political affiliation.”

Dons Eze

DONS EZE, PhD, Political Philosopher and Journalist of over four decades standing, worked in several newspaper houses across the country, and rose to the positions of Editor and General Manager. A UNESCO Fellow in Journalism, Dr. Dons Eze, a prolific writer and author of many books, attended several courses on Journalism and Communication in both Nigeria and overseas, including a Postgraduate Course on Journalism at Warsaw, Poland; Strategic Communication and Practical Communication Approach at RIPA International, London, the United Kingdom, among others.