The Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has refuted claims that it has adopted Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello as its presidential candidate for the 2023 election.
The religious body said it has never adopted any individual for any elective position in the history of elections and will not do so.
Northern CAN said its duty to the nation is to pray for peace and encourage members to participate in every constitutional process towards nation-building.
A statement on Tuesday by the Public Relations Officer, Northern CAN, Chaplain Jechonia Gilbert said: “We want to clarify the recent report in some online papers that Northern CAN had adopted Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State as its presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
“Northern CAN, from history, has never adopted any individual for any elective position in the history of elections in Nigeria and neither will it do so this time. Our duty to the Nigerian nation as a religious body, is to pray for the peace of the nation and encourage our members to participate in every constitutional process towards nation building.
“As an organization with large followership and its members belonging to different political persuasions, it is unthinkable to assume that we have adopted a particular individual who is not even a flag bearer of any political party as our candidate for the 2023 presidential elections.
“We call on the public to disregard such reportage as it is never the thought or imagination of Northern CAN. There has never been any meeting of the leadership of Northern CAN where such a decision was ever taken.”