*Say’s “I don’t lobby, apply or fight for it”, decries cheap blackmail
By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
As the discontentment over leadership of northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), lingered on, Rev. John Joseph Hayab who emerged the current chairman of the association has cleared the air of doubt about the discordant tones and circumstances surrounding his emergency.
Rev. Hayab said that the genesis of leadership tussle that set tongues wagging amongst members of the association, he described as though insignificant, was over tenure elongation of the immediate past executive, saying he did not lobbied, applied or fought for chairmanship job.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with our Correspondent, Rev. Hayab highlighted that it was obviously that his predecessor Rev. Yakubu Pam and his out gone executive over stayed their tenure in office and had no constitutional, moral and spiritual right to conduct or preside over any election.
According to Rev. Hayab, his colleagues called him to come and offer services for the office and he willingly accepted knowing fully well that any services rendered in the name and place of God to the people is not useless.
He however expressed displeasure on some of issue going on in the media circle concerning his emergency as northern CAN chairman, he has red, describing it as quite disappointing and cheap blackmail, that cannot make him to chicken out for people’s call for service.
Rev. Hayab lamented that, though the matter is also quite simple, his colleagues in the immediate past exco as leaders of CAN in the 19 northern states and Abuja had put the church in disrepute and embarrassment for over staying their tenure.
Rev. Hayab, a two times former chairman CAN kaduna State, Public Relations Officer (PRO), and as ex-Vice Chairman, northern CAN, also stated that the out gone exco put the Association in disrepute and embarrassment because they were elected into the office in 2015, alongside with him as executive of northern CAN for 3 year terms, in an election he came as the PRO.
He said “In 2019, I remember, we called for election and most of us were return for another 3 years for second tenure except me who went for vice chairman because of exigency of that moment”.
“So by May, 2022, we suppose to call for election but it never happen, and as a responsible man, I decided to opt-out because I don’t want to be part of the illegality. May be that was why they said I was suspended at one time, because I refused to participate in illegal executive”, he explained.
Rev. Hayab said after series of appealed to Pam led exco to call for election in May 2022, was ignored, he decided to back out of the exco unceremoniously.
“When it was getting over two years seven months the people became agitated and say no, it’s getting too long and pleased with Rev Yakubu Pam to call for election. He lied to people that election will be called in January 2025.
“They called for the meeting in January but there was no election in the agenda. The chairman CAN plateau state raised matter of concern and say look, we came here for election but there’s no election in the agenda. We learnt they descended heavily on him, and shouted him down to keep quiet.
“So when the leaders were tired and say enough of all these, they went behind and speak to stakeholders and elders who have been CAN chairmen and are still leaving and say we cannot be alive and CAN is hijacked by some selfish people.
“After listening, they decide to call for for election and it with evidence, everywhere even in the media. And so there was no ambiguity or contradiction that they’ve over stayed their tenure in office”, he added
He also said “In fact, the news stories we’re hearing now is that actually the Pam exco supposed to have lasted for 4 years. Okay, they were re-elected in 2019 for another 3 years terms, which suppose to end by 2022 plus one year making 2023, and extra one more year and 9 months and some weeks”.
“And because they’ve exceeded the constitutional time of their election they lacks constitutional, moral and spiritual mandate to prganise and conduct any election.
“And fortunately for us the same lawyer who conducted their election in 2022, is among those who say election is going to take place, so he chaired the electoral college of our recent election.
“A motion was moved by one of the chairman of CAN Kaduna state with overwhelming evidence, supported by a Bishop from Kwara state and unanimously agreed by overwhelming majority of the house, that the Pam executive be dissolve, and election should hold, and election was conducted.
“I think my greatest sin here is to become the chairman, if another person was voted, there wouldn’t have been this kinds of issues maybe”, he said.
According to him, “On the 26th February 2025, I was at christian centre in Abuja where we use to meet to do CAN meeting. He (Pam) did not participated in that meeting since he is an illegal chairman.
“I can say it, for our readers to know that Yakubu Pam and his northern CAN Secretary did everything humanly possible to discourage states chairmen and secretaries from attending that meeting but could not succeed.
“We’ve facts and evidences that of messages they sent discouraging them not to come. But they refused to heed to their called having played them for too long for over 2 years now”.
In another revelation, Rev. Hayab said Rev. Pam was using the excuse that the people said he should work on the the constitution or bye laws of the association, “and we say such thing is not tenable in a mature civilized society,”, citing Goodluck Jonathan and national confab.
“They cannot come out and talk about the matter because they’ve wronged, disgraced and embarrassed the church by elongating their tenure, that’s why they’re busy attacking personalities, framing all sort of things in the media circle, that even Satan who’s the chief liar will now even look at them and smile and say I’ve seen people who are more than me.
“I think that’s exactly what’s happening now. Because I’ve seen some of the stories, this one that we use to say Satan is the father of liar, I’ve seen some of his children around, I didn’t know they were his children, so that’s the problem we’ve now.
“To me is over, we’ve had election conducted. Evening yesterday In Maiduguri, the new Secretary on behalf of the new exco northern CAN, issued a statement affirming election is over. The vice chairman of the new exco is the chairman of CAN North Central zone, so we don’t have problem.
“Rev. Pam only talk about me Rev. Hayab when asked, rather than talking about the issue to cover up because he knows he over stayed his office’, he narrated.
The northern Youth CAN have also expressed ot displeasure, and disclaimed allegetions of working for Rev. Pam led exco, Rev Hayab relayed, even as he revealed that Taraba members and several other CAN leaders have been receiving embarrassing text messages from supporters of the dissolved exco.
Some of the embarrassing statement sent to Hayab and forwarded to our Correspondent reads “In a decaying society, it is disgraceful for someone who has unlawfully extended his tenure and clings to power unconstitutionally, despite being asked to step down by those who elected him, to issue threats.
“Leadership should never be by force. The Christian bodies in the North have expressed a vote of no confidence in his leadership and have elected new leaders. We stand firmly with the leadership of Rev. Hayab. To those leaders who play both sides, it is truly shameful”, it stated.
“The truth of the matter is when we fail to do the right thing at the right time things always get out of hand. Truth must be told there’s no justification for over staying in office with 2 years 9 months, nothing at all can be valid reason for that, as a result, let all hands be on deck because the truth will always prevail. Northern CAN will overcome whatever things that are not right in Jesus’s name”, it stated.
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