The Adamawa State Youth Wing of the Christian Associated of Nigeria (YOWICAN) has split into two factions over leadership tussle.
The wing currently has two chairmen, each claiming to be the authentic chairman.
The tussle came into the open weekend when the faction headed by Pastor George Oaya released a statement calling attention to him and warning the public against anyone else parading himself in that capacity.
The faction spoke of a purported election in which one other person was elected as the new chairman, and stressed that such action was only meant to divide the christian community in the state.
DAILY POST learnt on Sunday that the trouble dates back to last week, December 14, when some supposed members of the wing gathered at a church hall in the state capital, Yola, and came up with one Godwin Joseph as the new YOWICAN chairman.
Insisting, however, that such a thing could not stand, the faction loyal to George Oaya said in its statement, “YOWICAN elections in states are conducted by the zonal leaders, after the expiration of a three-year tenure.
“The tenure of the present executive committee members will expire on the 18th May, 2022. What would have warranted the conduct of an election while the tenure of the present Exco is still intact?”
Godwin Joseph’s faction responded to that by faulting George Oaya’s leadership on account of age.
The faction said Godwin’s emergence is backed by a section of the YOWICAN constitution which stipulates that information that a leader was elected in breach of the constitution could be relied on to void the leader’s election and hold a fresh one.
According to Godwin, after the election that brought in George as elected chairman, it was discovered that he was overaged.
“So, George Oaya’s election stands dissolved,” he asserted.
Reacting to the development, Anthony Elisha who is the secretary of the state mother CAN and who is seen as the custodian of the constitution of the union, said he knew nobody apart from George Oaya as YOWICAN chairman.
The state CAN scribe said, “I’m not aware election was held somewhere or something like that. All I know in YOWICAN, there is a leadership under Pst George Oaya and nobody has dissolved them.”
