President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church (Odozi-Obodo), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, on his election as the new President of the Christian Association of Nigeria.
The President’s congratulatory message was contained in a statement by his media aide, Mr Femi Adesina, on Friday in Abuja.
According to Buhari, Okoh’s election was a testament to his devotion to the Church of God in the country and beyond, distinguished vocation as a Christian leader and abiding commitment in promoting ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue.
He said he valued the counsel and spiritual contributions of Christian leaders to nation-building by encouraging, advising, strengthening, correcting and criticising those in authority.
He prayed that the tenure of Okoh in this new phase of ministry would be marked with success, urging the blocs that made up CAN to kindly give the cleric every needed support to excel.
He also wished the outgoing president, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, best wishes in his spiritual and secular endeavours.
Also, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has congratulated the General Superintendent of the Christ Holy Church, Rev Daniel Okoh, on his election as the newly-elected President of the Christian Association of Nigeria.
Okoh was elected on Monday as a successor to the outgoing president, Rev Samson Ayokunle, who recently completed his tenure as head of CAN.
While describing the tenure of Olasupo as having “exceptional commitment, principle and wisdom,” Tinubu welcomed the new leadership of CAN.
In a statement by the Tinubu Media Office and made available by his media aide, Tunde Rahman, the former Lagos State governor added, “As a nation, we are in a critical moment where misguided and terrible actors attempt to destroy social harmony and reign violence on us all. These awful forces seek to stoke religious and ethnic divisions in hope of pitting Nigerian brothers against Nigerian brothers. Decent and good Nigerians of all faiths must ally against such designs. While we may not agree on everything, all well-meaning Nigerians agree that we must live in peace, must respect and honour our diversity and eschew violence and hatred.
“We are grateful that CAN as an organisation embodies these and other principles that reflect the values and virtues of Christ. We are glad that the new president of CAN, Rev Okoh, is a humane and kind soul who has dedicated his life to the betterment of his fellow man and is a person who will work with leaders of other faiths and beliefs to strengthen the bonds of unity, inter-religious understanding and tolerance while advocating for the benefits of democratic good governance for all Nigerians regardless of creed or belief systems.
Meanwhile, the Delta Governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, while congratulating Okoh, commended the Christian community for the peaceful conduct of the convention, and added that it reflected the promotion of peace and unity that it preached.
