Olivia Weruche, who currently serves as the Correspondent of OWARCH NEWS AGENCY in Owerri, the capital of Imo state, has reported that the Imo State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has decidedly elected the Auxiliary Bishop of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Moses Chikwe, as its new Chairman. According to our Correspondent, the eight-month crisis that rocked the fabrics Imo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria has been resolved with the emergence of the Auxiliary Bishop of the Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Moses Chikwe, as the newly elected chairman.
She stated that the crisis began after an earlier election ended in a stalemate when the Catholic candidate failed to secure the required two-thirds majority of votes stipulated by the association’s constitution. The candidate she gathered, secured 45 votes, while 38 members withheld ratification, resulting in a shortfall that prevented his emergence as chairman.
It was gathered that the association remained without a substantive chairman for about eight months following the inconclusive poll.
In line with CAN’s constitutional provisions, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria was asked to present another candidate for a fresh round of voting by the Electoral College, as the chairmanship slot was zoned to the Catholic bloc.
The fresh election, held on Friday at the CAN Secretariat, produced Bishop Chikwe as chairman after he emerged as the sole candidate nominated by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria.
Speaking to our Correspondent shortly after the election, Bishop Chikwe described the process as peaceful, noting that all the accredited delegates voted in his favour.
“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 stated. Bishop Chikwe assured everyone that the association would return to its core mandate of promoting unity among Christians and advocating justice in society. “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 work closely 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 within the body of Christ.
“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,” the bishop concluded.
A stakeholder and legal adviser to the association, Oluchukwu Nnabugwu expressed satisfaction that peace had returned to the organisation. He said the rotational leadership arrangement, which zoned the chairmanship position to the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, had been upheld.
“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 pleaded.
Our Correspondent noted that Bishop Chikwe’s emergence however has doused all tensions surrounding the Imo State CAN, and he is to Chair the Association for a single duration of five years. All efforts made by the Director of OWARC NWS AGENCY to reach the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji for an interview on his development proved abortive. One thing certain is that he is the architect of this peaceful venture.
