The crises that has rocked Assemblies of God Church Nigeria since 6th of March 2014 may be coming to an end as the Supreme Court has directed the factional General Superintendent of the church Rev Prof Paul Emeka to properly file his Brief of arguments before 5th February 2016.
A group known as the Ambassadors of the Kingdom led by a Retired General Superintendent of the church Rev Dr Charles Ogbonnaya Osueke had on the 6th of March 2014 Announced the Suspension of Rev Prof Paul Emeka as the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria over allegations that he Embezzeled over N20million belonging to the church.
An Enugu High Court had in 2014 ruled that Rev Prof Paul Emeka remains the authentic General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria
It declared null and void, the purported meeting held on March 6 presided over by the retired General Superintendent of the Church, Rev Charles Osueke where he (Emeka) was allegedly suspended from office, even as it ordered those occupying offices illegally on account of the suspension to vacate without further delay.
Ruling in a suit brought by Emeka over the breach of his fundamental human rights, the Court presided over by Justice Anthony Onovo, held that he was never removed as the General Superintendent of the church, stressing that the meeting that took the decision was illegal as it was convoked without regard to the constitution of the church or law.
Dissatisfied with the Judgement of the Enugu Federal High Court, Rev Dr Chidi Okoroafor’s led faction of the Church approached the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu for a reversal of the Judgement of the lower Court.
In a lead judgment delivered in April 2015 in Enugu by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the Appeal court held that it was not the fundamental right of any member to be General Superintendent of the church.
The court voided the Application of Rev Prof Paul Emeka for the protection of his fundamental human rights as General Superintendent.
It said that there was no proper proof of service on the appellants and that the trial court was wrong in deciding that there was proper service.
The court also overruled the order of an Enugu High Court that other members of the church that held various executive offices should vacate them.
It voided the order of the trial court which awarded N30 million against other members of the executive and in favour of Mr. Emeka.
The court blamed the respondent for the crisis that had engulfed the church over the years, adding that the way he approached the misunderstanding in the church heightened the crisis.
Dissatisfied with the Rulling, Rev Prof Paul Emeka led faction of the Church Approached the Supreme Court for An order setting Aside the Judgement of the Enugu division of the Court of Appeal.
In its hearing today, the Apex court directed the Factional General Superintendent of the church Rev Prof Paul Emeka to properly file his Brief of arguments on or before the 5th of February 2016 to enable the Panel hear from the both parties before arriving at a Final Judgement.
