Court dismisses suit against Hayab’s emergence as Northern CAN Chairman

Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has struck out a suit filed by former Northern CAN Chairman, Rev. Yakubu Pam, and former Secretary, Elder Sunday Oibe, challenging the emergence of Rev. Joseph John Hayab as Chairman of the Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

In its judgement delivered on Thursday, the court held that the body in whose name the action was filed lacked the legal capacity to sue or be sued.

Justice H. Buhari ruled that “Northern CAN,” as presented before the court, is not recognised in law as a juristic person, noting that the association was not registered and therefore lacked the corporate legal identity required to access the courts.

The judge affirmed that only duly incorporated bodies can validly institute or defend actions in their corporate names.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel to the 2nd defendant, Dr. Grace E. Kaka, said the judgment reaffirmed the long-standing legal position that unincorporated associations cannot activate judicial processes in their organisational names.

She said the decision has effectively laid to rest the leadership dispute, stressing that the matter remains an internal affair of the Association.

According to Kaka, the ruling reinforces the requirement that any association seeking legal redress must be registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

She added that the court’s decision leaves no ambiguity regarding the status of the current Northern CAN leadership, noting that Rev. Hayab was validly elected on February 25, 2025.