CAN disowns officials that visited COZA’s Fatoyinbo

The Christain Association of Nigeria has said it did not approve of the solidarity visit paid to the embattled senior pastor of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly(COZA), Biodun Fatoyinbo, who was accused of rape by the wife of singer, Timi Dakolo, Busola, and another anonymous lady.

“The attention of the President of CAN, Rev. Dr. Samson O. A. Ayokunle has been called to a report and a video clip going round that Christian Association of Nigeria has sent her officials to Commonwealth of Zion Assembly(COZA) Church to stand by the Senior Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo on the rape allegation against him,” CAN’s national director of legal and public affairs,” Evangelist Barrister Kwamkur Samuel Vondip said in a statement.

“This message is to categorically inform the Christian leaders, the general public and all lovers of truth that CAN or the President of CAN did not approve and knows nothing about such a solidarity visit,” he added.

In viral footage, the president of CAN Abuja, Reverend Jonah Samson and CAN President North Central, Reverend Israel Akanji on Sunday addressed the COZA members pledging supports for Fatoyinbo.

“I assure you that we are with you and we will continue to be with you. We are in support of the church. We are in support of your pastor. We stand by him and this church will continue to match forward,” Reverend Jonah said.

This, however, provoked backlash on social media as many condemned the association of taking sides without investigation.

Evangelist Vondip said the two officials did what they did on their own and affirmed that they “would not jump into passing judgment without a thorough investigation of the matter.”

“The President of CAN is in communication with the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude and has given the right to investigate the allegations to PFN and then revert to CAN,” Evangelist Vondip said.

“We can tell you that PFN has already constituted a panel that is investigating this matter and in less than two weeks, the outcome of the investigation will come out, ” he added.