By Oji Odu
The denial by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), of its earlier support for the embattled Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on the N9billion allegation of corruption has, again, brought forward the controversies that have plagued the Christian union in recent times. This has, also, put a question mark on the credibility of the body to speak for Nigerian Christians.
The Christian body had retracted its initial support for the Vice President made on Friday, September 27 after a visit to the country’s number two citizen. It denied that it absolved Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of any blame in the allegation leveled against him, stating that it only visited Osinbajo to offer him some prayers and word of encouragement in his trying times.
In a statement signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the spokesperson to its National President, Reverend Samson Ayokunle, CAN said that it does not endorse corruption.
“The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) can never endorse corruption and has never exonerated anyone accused of corruption because we are not a court of law. Anyone accused of corruption has to prove his or her innocence with documentary evidence before the court of competent jurisdiction as we all know before his or her innocence can be upheld.
“After we had interacted with him and he said that the allegation was baseless and should be treated as rubbish, and not only that, he said that he was going to pursue the matter legally to prove his innocence, we then assured him that if he is proved innocent, then we throw our weight behind him,” CAN added.
The CAN leadership had about three days ago declared support for Osinbajo over the corruption allegation against him. The Association’s National President, Supo Ayokunle, revealed this on Friday, September 27 when he paid a visit to the Vice President at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja where he expressed support for him.
Tunde Bakare, the Senior Pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, also threw his weight behind Osinbajo on Sunday, September 29 when he prophesied that the Vice President will overcome his ordeals and present predicaments.
Bakare said: “Vice President Osinbajo will have the last laugh, except he has violated his oath.”
The fiery cleric’s position was in reaction to allegations that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) supported Osinbajo with N9 billion during his 2019 election campaigns.
In a chat with the Magazine, Paul Okorie, a Vleric said: “ Bakare’s statement does not show he spoke as a CAN member, but as a Man of God. Mark where he said, ‘except he has violated his oath’, that is as God’s servant who should be upright. Osinbajo is a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
