AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has debunked a report credited to its (PFN) President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, by an online news platform regarding his comment on the Lagos chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, saying that the publication does not represent the truth.
The online news platform had reported that Bishop Oke made derogatory remarks about CAN, alleging also that he was trying to polarize the Lagos Chapter.
However, in its reaction to the online news, the PFN reiterated its commitment to unity of purpose within the Christian faith, assuring that it would not assault or relegate the CAN.
A statement E-signed by the Bureau of Publicity, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Lagos, made available to Oyo Reporters, read that the online news publication was baseless and the information was out of context.
The statement read that “The attention of the leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has been drawn to a recent online newspaper report, circulating regarding the statement made by the PFN President at the PFN Lagos Chapter meeting held yesterday (Monday) in Lagos.
“In the said report, it was alleged that the President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, made derogatory remarks about CAN and that he was trying to polarize the Lagos Chapter.
“We wish to state that the leadership of PFN is unequivocally committed to setting the records straight and hereby refute these claims as baseless and out of context.
“The reported statement, suggesting that the President of PFN referred to CAN as ‘inconsequential’ and demanded submission, is not only false but also damaging to the collective mission of both PFN and CAN as Christian organizations. It is crucial to clarify that our fellowship has always prioritized unity, respect and collaboration among all Christian organizations regardless of their size or prominence.
“The PFN understands the importance of discerning fact from fiction in an age where misinformation and false claims abound. It is regrettable, however, that there are those who seek to sow discord for their own gain by spreading such falsehoods.
“The PFN and its entire membership stand united in debunking this erroneous report and urge all believers to remain focused on our critical mission of spreading the message of Jesus Christ’s love and redemption to the world.
“It is worthy to note that PFN is an integral part of CAN as it is affiliated to CAN in the CPFN/PFN Bloc where the current PFN President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, incidentally, is the National Leader.
“PFN participates in every activity of CAN, such as the President – In- Council, The National Executive Council and The General Assembly. PFN had also at various times had the honour of producing Bishop Mike Okonkwo as CAN National Vice-President and Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor as CAN National President.
“These are amongst other PFN contributions to the evolution and history of Christian ecumenism, under which all Christians in Nigeria formidably unite.
“The PFN appreciates the efforts of the Nigerian media in contributing their quota to the development of our nation despite harrowing challenges they are faced with. We, however, urge them to shun sensationalism in their news report and carry out their dignified profession with every sense of responsibility, fairness and justice which embodies the ethics of their profession.”
