Get Guardian on GoogleThe Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has distanced itself from a cleric linked to the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, insisting that the association has not authorised any political campaign in its name ahead of the 2027 general elections.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said Archbishop Chivir Chianson, who allegedly presented himself as the association’s General Secretary, had no official mandate to speak or act on its behalf.
In a statement, Okoh also disowned a group allegedly using CAN’s name to mobilise support for a political candidate, stressing that neither the cleric nor the organisation had any institutional relationship with the Christian body.
The clarification followed public comments surrounding the endorsement of Tinubu’s second-term ambition by the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), whose Secretary-General is Chianson.
The conference had announced its support for Tinubu’s re-election during its 2026 synod in September.
However, CAN maintained that the endorsement represented neither its institutional position nor an authorised political decision by the association.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Archbishop Chivir Chianson is not the General Secretary of CAN and has no authority or mandate to speak or act on its behalf,” the statement said.
Okoh reaffirmed CAN’s commitment to political neutrality, stressing that the association would not endorse any political candidate or party ahead of the 2027 elections.
The association urged Christians, members of the public and media organisations to disregard claims suggesting that Chianson or his group officially represented CAN.
