ENUGU CAN REJECTS APC CAMPAIGN COUNCIL LIST, SAYS CHURCH LEADERS WERE INCLUDED WITHOUT CONSENT

By NaijaParrot | October 30, 2026 

Enugu, Enugu State 

 The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Enugu State chapter, has publicly dissociated itself from the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council list recently released in the state, declaring that its leadership and the affected Christian leaders were neither consulted nor informed before their names appeared in the political structure. The Christian body made its position known in a disclaimer dated Thursday, October 29, 2026, and signed by its Secretary, Reverend Innocent Offor.

 The clarification followed the circulation of the APC campaign council list, which reportedly included the names of prominent Christian leaders, including the Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu and State CAN Chairman, Most Reverend Dr Ernest Anezichukwu Obodo, alongside other church officials. However, CAN Enugu insisted that the appearance of their names on the list should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the APC or an indication that the Christian organisation had agreed to participate in the party’s campaign activities.

In its statement, the association maintained that neither the organisation nor the individual religious leaders named in the campaign structure gave their consent before the publication. It stressed that the inclusion was unauthorised and did not reflect any official political position adopted by the Christian body.  

CAN Enugu consequently urged the public, particularly members of the Christian community, to disregard any impression that the association or the affected church leaders had endorsed the APC campaign council. 

 The association explained that its responsibility is to promote Christian unity, uphold Christian values and protect the spiritual and moral welfare of its members. According to the statement, CAN brings together Christians from different denominations and backgrounds, with members holding diverse political beliefs and affiliations. 

 It therefore maintained that the organisation must remain a neutral platform that accommodates Christians regardless of their political preferences. The association warned that linking religious leaders to a particular political party without their knowledge or approval could create unnecessary divisions within the Church and undermine the impartiality expected of religious institutions. 

 The controversy emerged shortly after the Enugu State chapter of the APC unveiled its campaign council ahead of the 2027 general elections. The campaign structure, comprising 51 directorates, is chaired by Governor Peter Mbah, with several serving officials, political stakeholders and prominent personalities assigned different responsibilities. 

 The party described the arrangement as an effort to bring together individuals and groups across the state to coordinate its political activities ahead of the elections. 

 However, CAN Enugu’s disclaimer has raised questions about the process through which the names of religious leaders were included in the campaign arrangement. 

 The Christian association called on those responsible for publishing the list and the relevant authorities to acknowledge its clarification and correct any impression that it had endorsed or participated in the APC campaign council. 

 Reaffirming its position, the organisation emphasised that the Church must remain a home for Christians with different political convictions. 

 The development adds another dimension to the growing debate over the relationship between religious institutions and political parties as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum. 

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