By Lawrence Erewele
-Rules that the Law of Nigeria only Recognize the Assemblies of God Leadership led by Rev Dr Chidi Okoroafor-
A Landmark Judgment was delivered yesterday 15/11/19 by Hon Justice Balogun of the Kaduna state High Court in Suit No KDH/KAD/358/19 Between Incorporated trustees of the Assemblies of God Nigeria, Rev Paul Emeka, Bulus Goni, Abraham Amos VS Rev Chidi Okoroafor & 6 other.
Paul Emeka and his cohorts had used the name of “Assemblies of God Nigeria” which according to them is “TAG” to sue Rev Chidi Okoroafor & Rev Tutu &Ors claiming the properties in Saminaka.
Barr Lawrence Erewele represented the trustees while Barr Ibrahim A. Buba represented Rev Paul & Ors.
After taking arguemets from both Lawyers the court struck out Paul Emeka suit and held that he does not have the locus standi to either represent Assemblies of God Nigeria or use the name of the Assemblies of God Nigeria to sue. The court further held as follows;
1. That it is only the Incorporated trustees that are registered with CAC on the 2015 certificate that are known to Law and they are the only one that can represent the church and sue for the church.
2. That since the properties in Saminaka are owned by Assemblies of God Nigeria, that it is only the trustees registered with CAC as per the certificate of 2015 that have the right to institute the said suit in Kaduna.
3. That since the trustees registered with CAC as per 2015 certificate have said that they did not authorise the suit that Rev Paul Emeka or any other person lacks the power/ locus Standi to use the name of Assemblies of God Nigeria to claim for any of the church properties.
4. That the Incorporated trustees of the Assemblies of God Nigeria cannot be seen suing Rev Chidi Okoroafor who is a trustee and the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Nigeria.
5. The Court then struck out the name of “the Incorporated trustees of the Assemblies of God Nigeria” from the suit.
6. The court went futher to hold that since the name of “the Incorporated trustees of the Assemblies of God Nigeria” has been struck out from the suit having not authorised the suit and since Rev Paul Emeka, bulus Goni and Abraham Amos have been dismissed from the church that there is no juristic person in law that can sustain the continuity of the suit.
It was based on the above that the court went ahead and struck out the entire suit.
This ruling has put to rest the recent tactics by Rev Paul Emeka group wherein they now sue using the name of “The Assemblies of God Nigeria to sue.
Remember that this same people sometime in 2017 kept denying that there is nothing Like
“The Assemblies of God Nigeria”. That the name they know is Assemblies of God church.
That was why they named the church led by Rev Chidi Okoroafor “TAG group. But today they are using the name “TAG” to sue in all their cases in Court. How come suddenly they have now turned to be the one using the name “TAG” to sue?
Please be weary of this people. Every lie has an expiry date and yesterday being the 15/11/19 was the day their lies about TAG expired.
