From: Chuks Onuoha, Umuahia
The leadership of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria has offered Rev. Dr. Paul Emeka and his followers an olive branch to return to the church before April 30, or stay out.
This is sequel to the Supreme Court’s judgment which affirmed Rev. Emeka’s opponent, Rev. Dr. Chidi Okoroafor as the General Superintendent of the Church.
Rev. Okoroafor made this disclosure while interacting with newsmen, in Umuahia, on Sunday, during a worship visit to one of the branches of the church at No 3A Aba road Umuahia.
He said that the Executive committee of the Church has generously extended the hands of fellowship for a period of one month (March 30 – April 30), to allow Rev. Paul Emeka and his group to return to the church.
Recall that the apex court had, on February 5, ruled and confirmed Rev. Chidi Okoarakor as the authentic General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Nigeria, thereby sacking Rev. Paul Emeka who had laid claim to the position.
Rev Emeka had leveraged on the ruling of the Appeal court in Enugu which had hitherto confirmed his plea as the actual occupant of the apex position of the church.
It was gathered that one month after the Supreme Court’s judgment, which came in favour of Okoroafor, Rev. Emeka was still occupying the Church’s national headquarters at Enugu, but he was forced out of office last week.
Speaking on the development, Rev. Okoroafor said that the leadership of the Church was interested in oneness and that after consultations , they decided to extend the olive branch to their brothers.
He urged them to “return to where they rightly belong and forget the crisis that recently rocked the foundation of the church.”
He assured Rev. Emeka and his group that they would be welcomed into the fold if they return before the stated deadline, adding that the timing was to enable the Church effectively put administrative structures in place.
He regretted that the crisis that hit the church ended up in the law court which was against the principles of the Church and the laws of God.
Said he, “ It was very unfortunate, I say repeatedly very unfortunate that the crises of the Church has to end up in the law court but we are open to forgive one another and come together to the fold that made us to continue in our work in the vineyard of God.”
He explained that he had no personal problems with Emeka whom he served as an assistant but that what transpired into the crisis was the legitimate decision of the executive committee of the church.
He said that while the leadership crisis raged, 97 percent of members of the Church and all institutions of the church “were under his control.
He said that “Assemblies of God Church wais not a one-man show but an organisation that has democratic principles and discipline, which would never be compromised in the administration of the church”.