According to Onaiyekan, the issues over which the Catholic Church had threatened to pull out of CAN “are being addressed right now.”
Onaiyekan, in an interview with The PUNCH, admitted that even after losing the election, he congratulated his opponent and wished him well.
When his reaction was sought on the interpretations being given by a lot of people, especially with regards to the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and CAN elections, Onaiyekan said people had made different interpretations of events after the election.
He said, “People can read any meaning to anything they like; let them say whatever they like. It’s not me. Whatever you hear from me is what I am telling you now. I have no personal problem with anybody. When the CAN election took place, the group that voted did not elect me, and we had a problem.
“I was elected for a term, the term was over. I put in an effort for a second term and the majority voted against me in favour of somebody else. I stood up and embraced the person and I wished him well and continued to attend meetings of CAN after that. I didn’t stand out of CAN. I don’t know why people are talking about Onaiyekan in this matter.”
When asked of his relationship with Oritsejafor, the cardinal said he didn’t know what the question was expecting of him and the following conversation ensued.
The PUNCH: What is your relationship with the Christian Association of Nigeria?
Onaiyekan: Oh, my relationship? I don’t have any relationship with CAN.
The PUNCH: But you were a former President of CAN.
Onaiyekan: I am the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja and the Catholic church is a member of CAN. So, through that, I am a member of CAN as well.
The PUNCH: There was this report of a threat by the Catholic Church to pull out of CAN.
Onaiyekan: I am glad you said threat; we have not pulled out.
The PUNCH: What brought about that threat?
Onaiyekan: There was enough explanation about that. Let me just put it this way. We raised some issues (not me ooo and nobody can say I did). My church raised some issues with our fellow brothers in CAN, which is being addressed right now.
The PUNCH: On a personal level, what is your relationship with the incumbent CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor?
Onaiyekan: I don’t know what the question is asking of me.
The PUNCH: You are both spiritual leaders. Do both of you interact with each other?
Onaiyekan: I am a friend to everybody and whenever I meet people, I greet them well and not only Christians but Muslims as well. Why should I not greet him. Personally, I have no enemy, I have none at all. It is not that everybody is happy with me. I know that even Jesus, it’s not everybody that is happy with him.”
PUNCH
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