PFN warns Lagos State chapter of CAN to steer clear internal affairs of the state’s chapter
By Ifeoma Ikem
The Senior Pastor of A Torch From Heaven Ministry, Bishop Joe Ighalo has warned the Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Steven Adegbite to steer clear from the internal affairs of the state’s chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
Ighalo said this during a press briefing titled: “State of Our State; Our Stand” in Lagos.
He said that the Adegbite-led Lagos chapter of CAN should not bring politics into the kingdom matters, especially when it has to do with the Lagos State chapter of PFN.
According to him, there is no doubt that CAN is the umbrella body of the PFN, but they should be allowed to handle its internal affairs.
“Why would you want to destroy PFN and keep CAN going, this is against the mission of the founding fathers of the PFN,” he said.
Ighalo noted that the issue between CAN and PFN began when the national body of the PFN failed to ratify the election of Pastor Kehinde, the acclaimed winner of the February 5, 2024 PFN Chairmanship election.
The PFN national body did not ratify the election as it said that there were anomalies in the process.
However, the Lagos CAN Chairman, Bishop Adegbite, reportedly led a protest against the development, which prompted Bishop Ighalo to say that CAN does not have any constitutional right or power over PFN, and warned that they should not interfere with the affairs of the PFN.
Also speaking, the Senior Pastor of Agape Worship Center, Ojodu, Lagos, Dr. David Odi said that as far as he was concerned, Lagos State is one of the most organised states in Nigeria in terms of economy, leadership and ministry, adding that this must be respected.
Odi explained that those who are behind the issue are trying to create problems that doesn’t exist in PFN body since inception so that whoever is voted into office would owe them allegiance.
“There’s no fight or crisis in Lagos PFN. I don’t even know any other person who is interested in the position,” he added.
According to him, i believed that the current chairman of the Lagos State chapter of PFN has served his term and is on his way out, and that Pastor Kehinde is not dragging the position with anybody.
“I don’t know any other person that will take the position until proper election is conducted.
“I’m optimistic that if there’s any election tomorrow, next week or next month, Pastor Kehinde will still win because nobody is dragging it with him.
“Those people still occupying the seat have finished their terms,just for them to exchange mantle and congratulated Pastor Kehinde.
“People behind the crisis are those who have peculiar interest in filthy lucre that the Bible talked about. Some people are driven by hunger for money. They are doing this because of the 2027 general elections ,” he said.
He added that some people want to make Pastor Kehinde believe that they fought for him to get into the office.
Meanwhile, nobody is fighting to bring anybody in, if there’s election anytime we would still vote for him.
In his contributions, Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi, Convener of Apostolic Round Table, (ART)
said that nobody will destroyed or throw fire into his house to burn it down because of selfish interest.
Stressing that “PFN is our room” and “CAN is our building,” and the matter will soon be resolved amicably.
Stakeholders in PFN have set up a committee to resolve the matter between those that are involved as any house that is divided against itself do not stand .