2023: Governor Inuwa infiltrates Gombe CAN, sponsors faction with N12 million – Findings

New revelations have emerged which revealed that the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, is behind the creation of a faction in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state.

An online had earlier reported how a group that got N12 million from government officials is creating division in the Gombe State CAN.

The group had earlier fixed Sunday for a programme the authentic CAN group was also billed to hold its programme, only for the Police in the State to stopped the event.

Even when the ECWA/Tekan bloc has distance themselves from the activities of the group sponsored by the government officials, it was reliably gathered that the Governor’s agents are also sponsoring the group to go to Court.

The aimed of the proposed court case is yet to be ascertained, but it was gathered that a lot of Christians in Gombe State are pulling out of the APC in drops.

Confirming the interference of the governor on the activities of CAN in the State, the newly elected CAN Chairman in Gombe State, Rev Fr Joseph Alphonsus Shinga, said it has not been easy for the Church since the coming of Governor Inuwa as governor in 2019.

“On the 14th December 2021, an election was conducted by the National leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria, and new officials were elected to handle the affairs of the Gombe state chapter of CAN, namely;
1. Rev. Fr. Joseph Alphonsus Shinga – CAN Chairman – CSN Bloc; 2. Pastor Christopher Godobe – Vice Chairman; CPFN/PFN; 3. Pastor Solomon Ayanwale – Secretary – OAIC; 4. Ven. Nimya Rana – Assist. Secretary – CCN; 5. Rev. Joel Philip Wakili – Treasurer – TEKAN/ECWA.

“After the success of the same election, the new executive were sworn in by the national legal director of CAN and the next day which was the 15th of December 2021, a handing over was done by the outgone care-taker chairman in the presence of the national leaders, zonal leaders and the new executive.

“Haven recognised the legitimacy of the election, a letter to that effect was sent to the executive Governor of the State, and copied to the zonal CAN chairman as well as the state CAN Chairman.
Fired by the sense of history, from 2019 (to be specific) a thicker margin line has been drawn against the Church in Gombe state for the simple reason that an enforcement of oppressive structures against the Church are strategically set in motion and this statement will correct a certain impression that we cannot live in Gombe as citizens of Nigeria with the freedom of our faith not respected,” be said.

According to the CAN chairman, “It is becoming more official that the Christian religion in Gombe state has been manipulated and kept under multiple attacks over and over, most likely for the reason to start a war between ourselves.

“We have been confronted with this from a very long time and it is playing out more significantly at the watch of this administration.

“Our rightfully elected leadership of CAN Gombe State, have been persistently distracted with consistent invitations to appear before the police unduly and till this moment, reasons are yet to be officially handed to the leadership of CAN at any level as to why these invitations have become a recurrent decimal.

“On the 30th day of January 2022, a grand reception of our elected CAN leaders should have held but it was rudely suspended with less than 12hours to the event due to reasons that we are still shocked at. Plans were made, monies were spent, a lot were put together for the same event went with the wasted hours,” the CAN chairman said.

While asking all Christians in Gombe and beyond to remain calm despite their regular appearance before the police on another invitation which will determine their clearance to fix a new date for the grand reception of their Gombe State CAN Execute, they called on His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Gombe State, Alh. Muhamadu Inuwa Yahaya (Dan Majen Gombe) being the chief security officer, to immediately investigate and intervene on the so-called faction of the CAN leadership in the state, a group impersonating and parading itself as CAN leaders.

“While we remain calm, we call on all christians to pray for the unity of the church and the peace of Gombe State, ” Shinga said.

In the new plot, it was gathered that government officials are allegedly sponsoring certain individuals to cause confusion within the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Gombe State Chapter, which, if not handled properly, may lead to serious crisis.

Recall that the relatively peaceful Nigeria’s Gombe State was recently turned into a war zone with the killings of several innocent Nigerians over the Choice of Mai Tangale (Traditional Ruler) in Billiri Local Government Area of the State.

There were reports that after the officials of National body of CAN in Abuja travelled to Gombe State and supervise the election of officials that should take over the leadership at stipulated by law, a rebel group emerged, which is allegedly sponsored by government officials through the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Babadidi Babaji; former youth CAN President, who is from Adamawa State, Engr Daniel Kadzai; Rev JP Kauwa and Rev Joel Philip Wakili.

The officials that supervised the election conducted at the CAN Secretariat, Gombe State are: CAN Assistant General Secretary, Elder Biodun Sanyaolu; CAN National Director Legal and Public Affairs, Comfort Chigbue and CAN Zonal Chairman, North East, Rev Abare Kallah.
The other faction, it was gathered, held their election in a hotel in Gombe and the aim I’d to cause division in CAN.

While the authentic leadership was set to inaugurate the officials on Sunday, 30th January, 2022 at CAN Centre Dukku Road, Gombe State in an event tagged: Grand Reception And Instalment of New Executive, with the theme: “Politics Of Power And The Church In Perilous Times,” under the Chairmanship of the Catholic Bishop of Bauchi and Gombe State, Most Rev Hilary Naanman Dachelam CMF, with the governor of the State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya as the special guest, a faction under Rev Joel Philip Wakili and others have also fixed their programme of inauguration the same day, the same venue but to start 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled time of the National CAN – recognised leadership.

While the authentic group which held the election that was supervise by the National CAN invited the Senator Representing Gombe South, Col Bulus K Amos (rtd); ECWA General Secretary, Rev Yunusa S. Madu Jnr.; Chairman, CAN North-East, Rev Abare Yunusa Kallah, Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau; Member Representing Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency, Rt Hon Victor Mela Danzaria; Gospel Singer Pam Monday and Autan Zaki; an event sponsored by Member Representing Kaltungo/Shongom Federal Constituency, Rt Hon Karu Simon Elisha, the other faction which held it purported election in a hotel, haven been allegedly given N12 million, have also invited ECWA President World-wide, Rev Steven Panya Baba as a special guest.

Other people invited for the programme tagged: “Peace Summit And Thanksgiving Of The New CAN Chairman Rev Joel Philip Wakili and other Exco,” with the Theme: “You Shall Know The Truth,” under the Distinguish Chairmanship of ECWA/TEKAN Bloc General Secretary, Rev Moses Ebuga; Chief host, Rev Sunday Congo; guest speaker, Bishop Simeon Ephron Yaldins, in an event also sponsored by all Christian Government Appointees and ECWA 9 DCC’s Forum, Gombe State; analysts say without intervention by Christian leaders, a crisis may erupt at the venue.

To this end, the National body of CAN has written Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya urging him to recognise the authentic group.

CAN, which asks the Governor to steer clear of the activities of the faction and recognize the authentic group, listed their names and positions.

The letter obtained by newsmen dated 24th January, 2022 was also copied to the North East Zonal Chairman and the Gombe State Chairman of CAN.

CAN, which slogan is: “That they all may be one,” is worried that the recent Gombe State CAN election held on the 14 day of December, 2021 in which the report of the election was written and endorsed by all concerned on the 15 December, 2021 is not recognised by the Government officials in Gombe State.

The letter to Governor Inuwa which was signed by CAN General Secretary, Barr Daramola Joseph Bade, reads: “I bring you calvary greetings from the leadership of CAN National.

“I hereby write to inform you that, the recent Gombe State CAN election held on the 14 day of December, 2021 in which the report of the election was written and endorsed by all concerned on the 15 December, 2021 which brought in the new Gombe State CAN Executives as follows: 1. Rev. Fr. Joseph Alphonsus Shinga -Chairman; 2. Pastor Chris Godobe – Vice Chairman; 3. Pastor Solomon Ayanwale -Secretary; 4. Ven. Nimya Rana – Assistant General Secretary; 5. Rev. Joel Philip Wakili -Treasurer.”

“Your Excellency, kindly note that these are the AUTHENTIC CAN newly elected Executives in Gombe State. Thanks, and remain blessed,” the letter reads.

It was gathered that some of the officials which have the support of the National CAN have been invited by security agents in the State in an attempt to intimate them and support the faction that held their meeting at a hotel.

To this end, the ECWA President has written to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Headquarters, distancing the ECWA/ Tekan bloc from the government backed faction.

The letter which was also sent to the Gombe State Governor said their attention has been drawn to a Programme tagged: “Peace Summit and Thanksgiving of the New CAN Chairman Rev. Joel Philip Wakili and other Exco” held in CAN Centre Dukku Road, Gombe State on Sunday 30/1/2022 at 2:30pm; where the names of the head of the TEKAN/ECWA Bloc Rev. Dr. Stephen Panya Baba (ECWA President Worldwide) and that of Rev. Motos Ebuga (TEKAN/ECWA Bloc Secretary) were written on the invitation cards as “Special Guest of Honour” and “Chairman of the Occasion respectively.

“We write this letter to dissociate ourselves from the said peace summit, the leadership of the summit and the supposed inauguration/thanksgiving. We at TEKAN/ECWA Bloc are not aware of the election that brought in those said leaders and do not recognize them as leaders or representatives of TEKAN/ECWA Bloc.

“We, however, are aware and recognize the election led by the National body of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on 14 December, 2021 that saw to the emergence of Rev. Fr. Joseph Aphonsus Shinga as the authentic Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Gombe State and those that emerged as his leutenants during this election as listed below:
“1. Rev. Fr. Joseph Aphonsus Shinga; 2 Pastor Chris Godobe; 3 Pastor Salomon Avanwale; 4 Ven. Nimya Rana; 5. Rev. Joel Philip Wakili,” the letter signed by the ECWA President who is also the leader of Tekan/ECWA bloc, Rev. Dr. Stephen Panya Baba and secretary, Rev. Moses Ebuga, stated.

It was gathered that despite the disowning of the faction by the main association they are claiming, Gombe State official are pushing the faction to institute a court case against the authentic group, with the aim of causing crisis in the Gombe State CAN.