Assemblies of God Church Crisis: Rev Emeka remains General Superintendent, Court rules
December 12
21:41
2014
*Nullifies appointment of Okoroafor, others
The Protracted leadership crisis in the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria may have been put to rest as an Enugu High Court has ruled that Rev Prof Paul Emeka remains the authentic General Superintendent of Church.
The court declared as null, void and illegal the purported meeting held on March 6 this year which was presided over by the retired General Superintendent of the Church, Rev. Charles Osueke where he Prof Emeka was allegedly suspended from office.
It therefore ordered the acting General Superintendent, Chidi Okoroafor and all those occupying offices on account of the purported suspension of the General Superintendent to vacate with immediate effect.
Ruling in a suit brought by Prof Emeka over the breach of his fundamental human rights resulting from the outcome of the March 6 meeting, the Court presided over by Justice Anthony Onovo, held that his office as the General Superintendent of the church remained intact, stressing that the meeting that took the decision was illegal as it was convoked without regard to the constitution of the church or existing law.
The Judge also frowned seriously at the refusal of a faction of the church led by the Assistant General Superintendent, Rev Okoroafor to obey the injunction of the court granted on the matter on March 8, this year where it had ordered a return to status quo pending the determination of the suit.
On March 6, this year, a meeting by a group of members of the church called Ambassadors of the Kingdom presided over by the retired General Superintendent of the Church; Osueke met and suspended Prof Emeka from office for alleged corruption and embezzlement.
It went further to appoint Okoroafor the acting General Superintendent and advised branches of the church nationwide to severe dealings with Paul and disallow him from using their pulpits anywhere to preach the gospel.
They further accused him of taking the church to court contrary to the provisions of the church’s constitution.
Not satisfied with the purported suspension slammed on him, Prof Emeka on March 8 rushed to the Enugu High Court, where he filed a suit challenging the action of the group and prayed the court to order a return to status quo ante.
The General Superintendent had described the actions of the splinter group as a breach of his fundamental rights to worship and fair hearing, stressing that the meeting where the action
was taken was unconstitutional as it did not follow laid down rules.
He further sought an order of court declaring every appointment made by the group as illegal as well as the restoration of his rights as the General Superintendent of the Church.
Although the court had on March 8, ordered a return to status quo ante, that order was not obeyed as the Okoroafor group had gone further to announce the expulsion of Rev Emeka.
Ruling on the matter Thursday, Justice Onovo agreed that the March 6 meeting was illegal, null and void, stressing that the retired General Superintendent (Osueke) “usurped the powers of the incumbent General Superintendent to preside over the meeting”.
He agreed that Paul Emeka’s constitutional and human rights were grossly violated, adding that the meeting called to suspend the General Superintendent was not based on any law including the constitution of the church.
Justice Onovo said that those who called the meeting had no right to do so, adding that it was wrong for Ambassadors of the kingdom to be part of the decision to discipline Emeka when they (Ambassadors) were his accusers.
“In like manner, people who call themselves Ambassadors of the Kingdom who participated in the decision to discipline the General Superintendent has no right whatsoever to participate in the council since they were all appointees of the retired General Superintendent who chaired the meeting. Osueke usurped the authority of the incumbent”, the Judge said.
He continued: “I hereby declare the meeting of March 6 illegal, null and void and ordered all those who were appointed into offices as a result of the purported suspension of Emeka to vacate offices immediately. Paul Emeka was never removed or suspended. He remains the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria.
“In the circumstances, I would have awarded the cost of N30 million against the defendants because it is appropriate because it is a court matter; but it is better for both parties to go and maintain the peace of the church because the award of N30 million may aggravate the crisis”, Justice Onovo held.
Reacting to the judgment, the General Superintendent, Rev. Emeka said: “Justice has been done and truth has triumphed. When it began, I aired my view; I objected to what they did, it was like truth has been buried, but today, the court in Enugu in its statement has justified my stand and made it known that God is God. So my reaction is, nobody should be crucified, but I am expecting all members of the
Assemblies of God, all district heads, to come together so that we work ahead and rebuild this church that has been battered for a very long time. I don’t think enmity is accepted by God and I will not be
the one that will be vindictive. My own attitude is that I am their Pastor and they are my members. I want all of them to come together so that we keep working for God”.
Counsel to Emeka, Mrs Justina Offia (SAN) while reacting after the judgment, called on the parties to embrace peace and respect the order of the court, saying that though his client (Emeka) had been subjected to various inhuman treatments, he had bored them all like an apostle
of God.
She said: “On the other hand also, as a human being and Christian, I am concerned about the faith of the church. Right from the onset, I had spoken with my learned brother, who is appearing for the respondent and I insisted that I think the best thing that could happen to all the parties is for them to seek peace.
“Now it is one thing to create a problem in a church, it is one thing resolving the issue legitimately in the court; it is also another thing coming back together under the
umbrella of the same church to seek God. I am concerned about the numerous members of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria who go to church everyday looking for God and these people are the people they are looking at to lead them. True enough, the General Superintendent had been subjected to most unreasonable treatment by the respondent and I must tell you that he had borne it like a true Apostle of God.
“He has been dragged to practically all the police stations in Enugu and Abuja between April and November this year. He had been locked up, his house has been constantly besieged but he had always remained calm. I will still advise both the respondent and others to give peace a chance.”
http://theadvocatengr.com/new/assemblies-of-god-church-crisis-rev-emeka-remains-general-superintendent-court-rules/
The Protracted leadership crisis in the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria may have been put to rest as an Enugu High Court has ruled that Rev Prof Paul Emeka remains the authentic General Superintendent of Church.
The court declared as null, void and illegal the purported meeting held on March 6 this year which was presided over by the retired General Superintendent of the Church, Rev. Charles Osueke where he Prof Emeka was allegedly suspended from office.
It therefore ordered the acting General Superintendent, Chidi Okoroafor and all those occupying offices on account of the purported suspension of the General Superintendent to vacate with immediate effect.
Ruling in a suit brought by Prof Emeka over the breach of his fundamental human rights resulting from the outcome of the March 6 meeting, the Court presided over by Justice Anthony Onovo, held that his office as the General Superintendent of the church remained intact, stressing that the meeting that took the decision was illegal as it was convoked without regard to the constitution of the church or existing law.
The Judge also frowned seriously at the refusal of a faction of the church led by the Assistant General Superintendent, Rev Okoroafor to obey the injunction of the court granted on the matter on March 8, this year where it had ordered a return to status quo pending the determination of the suit.
On March 6, this year, a meeting by a group of members of the church called Ambassadors of the Kingdom presided over by the retired General Superintendent of the Church; Osueke met and suspended Prof Emeka from office for alleged corruption and embezzlement.
It went further to appoint Okoroafor the acting General Superintendent and advised branches of the church nationwide to severe dealings with Paul and disallow him from using their pulpits anywhere to preach the gospel.
They further accused him of taking the church to court contrary to the provisions of the church’s constitution.
Not satisfied with the purported suspension slammed on him, Prof Emeka on March 8 rushed to the Enugu High Court, where he filed a suit challenging the action of the group and prayed the court to order a return to status quo ante.
The General Superintendent had described the actions of the splinter group as a breach of his fundamental rights to worship and fair hearing, stressing that the meeting where the action
was taken was unconstitutional as it did not follow laid down rules.
He further sought an order of court declaring every appointment made by the group as illegal as well as the restoration of his rights as the General Superintendent of the Church.
Although the court had on March 8, ordered a return to status quo ante, that order was not obeyed as the Okoroafor group had gone further to announce the expulsion of Rev Emeka.
Ruling on the matter Thursday, Justice Onovo agreed that the March 6 meeting was illegal, null and void, stressing that the retired General Superintendent (Osueke) “usurped the powers of the incumbent General Superintendent to preside over the meeting”.
He agreed that Paul Emeka’s constitutional and human rights were grossly violated, adding that the meeting called to suspend the General Superintendent was not based on any law including the constitution of the church.
Justice Onovo said that those who called the meeting had no right to do so, adding that it was wrong for Ambassadors of the kingdom to be part of the decision to discipline Emeka when they (Ambassadors) were his accusers.
“In like manner, people who call themselves Ambassadors of the Kingdom who participated in the decision to discipline the General Superintendent has no right whatsoever to participate in the council since they were all appointees of the retired General Superintendent who chaired the meeting. Osueke usurped the authority of the incumbent”, the Judge said.
He continued: “I hereby declare the meeting of March 6 illegal, null and void and ordered all those who were appointed into offices as a result of the purported suspension of Emeka to vacate offices immediately. Paul Emeka was never removed or suspended. He remains the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria.
“In the circumstances, I would have awarded the cost of N30 million against the defendants because it is appropriate because it is a court matter; but it is better for both parties to go and maintain the peace of the church because the award of N30 million may aggravate the crisis”, Justice Onovo held.
Reacting to the judgment, the General Superintendent, Rev. Emeka said: “Justice has been done and truth has triumphed. When it began, I aired my view; I objected to what they did, it was like truth has been buried, but today, the court in Enugu in its statement has justified my stand and made it known that God is God. So my reaction is, nobody should be crucified, but I am expecting all members of the
Assemblies of God, all district heads, to come together so that we work ahead and rebuild this church that has been battered for a very long time. I don’t think enmity is accepted by God and I will not be
the one that will be vindictive. My own attitude is that I am their Pastor and they are my members. I want all of them to come together so that we keep working for God”.
Counsel to Emeka, Mrs Justina Offia (SAN) while reacting after the judgment, called on the parties to embrace peace and respect the order of the court, saying that though his client (Emeka) had been subjected to various inhuman treatments, he had bored them all like an apostle
of God.
She said: “On the other hand also, as a human being and Christian, I am concerned about the faith of the church. Right from the onset, I had spoken with my learned brother, who is appearing for the respondent and I insisted that I think the best thing that could happen to all the parties is for them to seek peace.
“Now it is one thing to create a problem in a church, it is one thing resolving the issue legitimately in the court; it is also another thing coming back together under the
umbrella of the same church to seek God. I am concerned about the numerous members of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria who go to church everyday looking for God and these people are the people they are looking at to lead them. True enough, the General Superintendent had been subjected to most unreasonable treatment by the respondent and I must tell you that he had borne it like a true Apostle of God.
“He has been dragged to practically all the police stations in Enugu and Abuja between April and November this year. He had been locked up, his house has been constantly besieged but he had always remained calm. I will still advise both the respondent and others to give peace a chance.”
http://theadvocatengr.com/new/assemblies-of-god-church-crisis-rev-emeka-remains-general-superintendent-court-rules/
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