Court Ruling Deepens Northern CAN Leadership Crisis

John Shiklam in Kaduna 

The leadership crisis in the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory has deepened after the Federal High Court in Kaduna struck out a suit filed by the Rev. Yakubu Pam faction of the association, challenging the emergence of Rev. Joseph Hayab as chairman.

The Hayab group had accused Pam of allegedly extending his tenure and proceeded to “elect” Hayab as chairman. The Pam faction however maintained that Pam’s tenure was extended by the Executive Committee to allow the completion of a new bye law to guide elections.

Consequently, the Pam faction filed a suit challenging the emergence of Hayab as chairman in an election said to have been held in Abuja early in the year. 

Delivering judgement in the matter on Thursday, Justice H. Buhari held that Northern CAN, as presented in the suit, is not recognised in law as a juristic person. She said the body is not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and therefore lacks the capacity to sue or be sued.

Reacting to the judgement in a statement on Friday in Kaduna, Secretary of the Pam faction, Elder Sunday Oibe, said his group was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before determining its next steps.

He dismissed reports that the court affirmed Hayab as chairman.

Oibe insisted that “the Court did not in any way affirm or legitimise Hayab’s claim to the chairmanship of the CAN in the Northern states and the FCT.” 

He said Hayab’s emergence in February followed “a hurried and irregular exercise which did not follow due process, transparency, or established procedure.”

According to him, “Pam’s tenure had earlier been extended by the Executive Committee to enable the completion of work on a new by law for elections.”

He said the court held that the association “is not a registered association known to law and cannot sue or be sued, as it lacks legal recognition or backing.

“By implication, any claim by Hayab to the position of Chairman cannot be recognised either, since an unregistered body cannot legitimately hold, conduct, or validate elections.”

Oibe faulted some reports in the media, which he described as “unfortunate and misleading propaganda.” 

He noted that the court did not address whether “a non-member of an organisation can validly conduct an election for that body in a civilized society.”

He urged members of the association across the Northern states to “remain calm, focused, and prayerful,” stressing that Hayab is not the legitimate chairman of CAN in the 19 Northern states and the FCT

“The road to justice in Nigeria may be long and challenging, but we are fully prepared to pursue it for the sake of truth, righteousness, the integrity of our founding fathers, and to ensure that falsehood and the unprincipled quest for power do not prevail,” he said.