…Says, “I don’t lobby, apply or fight for it;” decries as “cheap blackmail.”
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
As the discontentment over the “No.1 Seat” of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Northern region, continues to heighten, Rev. John Joseph Hayab – who emerged the current chairman of the association – has cleared the air of doubt about the discordant tones and circumstances surrounding his emergency.
Rev. Hayab also, who took time and pains in giving detailed explanation into the real causes of the raising dust amongst members of the association, he described as though “insignificant,” however, stated that he did not lobby, applied or fought for the Northern CAN chairmanship job.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Rev. Hayab highlighted that it was obviously that his predecessor, Rev. Yakubu Pam, and his out-gone executive overstayed their tenure in office and had no constitutional, moral and spiritual right to conduct or preside over any election.
According to Rev. Hayab, his colleagues called him to come and offer services for the office and he willingly accepted, knowing full well that any services rendered in the name and place of God to the people is not useless.
He, however, expressed displeasure on some issues making rounds in the media circle concerning his emergency as Northern CAN chairman he has read, describing it as “quite disappointing and cheap blackmail” that cannot make him to chicken out for people’s call for service.
Rev. Hayab lamented that, though the matter is also quite simple, his colleagues in the immediate past exco as leaders of CAN in the 19 Northern States and Abuja had put the church in disrepute and embarrassment for over-staying their tenure.
Rev. Hayab, a two times former chairman of CAN Kaduna State, Public Relations Officer (PRO) and, as ex-Vice Chairman, Northern CAN, also stated that the out-gone exco put the Association in disrepute and embarrassment because they were elected into the office in 2015, alongside with him as Executive of Northern CAN for 3-year terms, in an election he came as the PRO.
He said, “In 2019, I remember, we called for election and most of us were returned for another 3 years for second tenure except me, who went for vice chairman because of exigency of that moment.
“So, by May, 2022, we supposed to call for election but it never happened, and as a responsible man, I decided to opt out because I don’t want to be part of the illegality. Maybe, that was why they said I was suspended at one time, because I refused to participate in illegal executive,” he explained.
Rev. Hayab said after series of appeals to Pam-led exco to call for election in May 2022, was ignored, he decided to back out of the exco unceremoniously.
“When it was getting over two years, seven months, the people became agitated and said, ‘No;’ it’s getting too long, and pleaded with Rev Yakubu Pam to call for election. He lied to people that election will be called in January 2025.
“They called for the meeting in January but there was no election in the agenda. The chairman CAN Plateau State raised matter of concern and said, ‘Look, we came here for election but there’s no election in the agenda.’ We learnt they descended heavily on him, and shouted him down to keep quiet.
“So, when the leaders were tired and said enough of all these, they went behind and spoke to stakeholders and elders, who had been CAN chairmen and are still leaving, and said, ‘We cannot be alive and CAN is hijacked by some selfish people.’
“After listening, they decide to call for election and it was with evidence, everywhere even in the media. And so, there was no ambiguity or contradiction that they’ve over-stayed their tenure in office,” he added.
He also said, “In fact, the news stories we are hearing now is that, actually, the Pam exco supposed to have lasted for 4 years. Okay, they were re-elected in 2019 for another 3 years’ terms, which supposed to end by 2022, plus one year, making 2023, and extra one more year and 9 months and some weeks.
“And because they’ve exceeded the constitutional time of their election, they lack constitutional, moral and spiritual mandate to organize and conduct any election.
“And, fortunately for us, the same lawyer, who conducted their election in 2022, is among those who said election was going to take place; so, he chaired the electoral college of our recent election.
“A motion was moved by one of the chairmen of CAN Kaduna State with overwhelming evidence, supported by a Bishop from Kwara State and unanimously agreed by overwhelming majority of the house, that the Pam executive be dissolved, and election should hold, and election was conducted.
“I think my greatest ‘sin’ here is to become the chairman. If another person was voted, there wouldn’t have been these kinds of issues, maybe,” he lamented.
According to him, “On the 26th February 2025, I was at Christian Centre in Abuja where we used to meet to do CAN meetings. He (Pam) did not participate in that meeting since he is an illegal chairman.
“I can say it, for our readers to know that, Yakubu Pam and his Northern CAN Secretary did everything humanly possible to discourage states’ chairmen and secretaries from attending that meeting but could not succeed.
“We’ve facts and evidence that of messages they sent discouraging them not to come; but they refused to heed to their call, having played them for too long for over 2 years now.”
In another revelation, Rev. Hayab said Rev. Pam was using the excuse that the people said he should work on the constitution or bye laws of the association, “and we said such a thing is not tenable in a matured civilized society,” citing Goodluck Jonathan and National Confab.
“They cannot come out and talk about the matter because they’ve wronged, disgraced and embarrassed the church by elongating their tenure. That’s why they are busy attacking personalities, framing all sorts of things in the media circle, that even Satan, who is the chief liar, will now even look at them and smile and say, ‘I have seen people, who are more than me.’
“I think that’s exactly what is happening now; because I have seen some of the stories, this one that we used to say, ‘Satan is the father of liar;’ I’ve seen some of his children around, I didn’t know they were his children. So, that’s the problem we have now.
“To me, it’s over; we have had election conducted. Evening yesterday, in Maiduguri, the new Secretary, on behalf of the new exco Northern CAN, issued a statement affirming election is over. The vice chairman of the new exco is the chairman of CAN North Central zone; so, we don’t have problem.
“Rev. Pam only talk about me, Rev. Hayab, when asked, rather than talking about the issue – to cover up – because he knows he over-stayed his office,” he narrated.
The Northern Youth CAN have also expressed its displeasure, and disclaimed allegations of working for Rev. Pam-led exco, Rev Hayab relayed, even as he revealed that Taraba members and several other CAN leaders have been receiving embarrassing text messages from supporters of the dissolved exco.
Some of the embarrassing statements sent to Hayab and forwarded to our correspondent read, thus: “In a decaying society, it is disgraceful for someone, who has unlawfully extended his tenure and clings to power unconstitutionally, despite being asked to step down by those who elected him, to issue threats.
“Leadership should never be by force. The Christian bodies in the North have expressed a vote-of-no-confidence in his leadership and have elected new leaders. We stand firmly with the leadership of Rev. Hayab. To those leaders, who play both sides, it is truly shameful,” it stated.
“The truth of the matter is, when we fail to do the right thing at the right time, things always get out of hand. Truth must be told; there is no justification for over-staying in office with 2 years 9 months; nothing at all can be valid reason for that.
As a result, let all hands be on deck because the truth will always prevail. Northern CAN will overcome whatever things that are not right, in Jesus’s Name,” it stated