The eight-month dispute that unsettled the Imo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria has been resolved with the election of the Auxiliary Bishop of the Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Moses Chikwe, as the new chairman.
The crisis began when an earlier election ended in a deadlock after the Catholic candidate, Fr. Gerald Njoku, failed to obtain the required two-thirds majority stipulated by the association’s constitution. Njoku reportedly received 45 votes, while 38 members withheld ratification, preventing his emergence as chairman.
As a result, the association remained without a substantive chairman for over eight months.
Following CAN’s constitutional guidelines, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria was asked to propose a new candidate for a fresh election by the Electoral College, as the chairmanship position was zoned to the Catholic bloc.
The new election, held on Friday at the CAN Secretariat, saw Chikwe emerge as chairman, being the sole candidate nominated by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria.
Speaking to journalists after the election, Chikwe described the process as peaceful, noting unanimous support from all delegates.
“All five blocs, their delegates and the national delegation participated in the election, which was inconclusive the last time. I received 73 out of 73 votes. Everyone voted for me as chairman,” he said.
Chikwe assured that the association would return to its primary role of fostering unity among Christians and advocating for justice.
“We must be the salt of the nation and return to the objectives of the association. We must be the voice for the voiceless, protect human rights, and uphold the sanctity of human dignity.
“As a Christian organisation, we must serve as the moral conscience of society and reflect the light of Christ in Imo State,” he added.
The new chairman pledged to collaborate with all blocs within the association, including the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Christian Council of Nigeria, Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Organisation of African Instituted Churches, TEKAN, and ECWA, to strengthen unity.
“We will bring all the blocs together so that we can build unity and speak with one voice as Christians, making Christ the centre of all we do, because He remains the unifying force,” Chikwe stated.
A stakeholder and legal adviser to the association, Oluchukwu Nnabugwu, welcomed the resolution, noting that the rotational leadership, which zoned the chairmanship to the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, had been respected.
“We thank God that peace has returned to CAN in Imo State. We call on members to support the new chairman to ensure the success of his administration,” Nnabugwu said.
