Judge withdraws from Assemblies of God Church crisis

A move by factional General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev. Paul Emeka to repossess the National Secretariat of the Church at Independence layout, Enugu through the court, suffered a setback yesterday as the Presiding Judge disqualified himself from the matter.

Justice R.N. Onuorah in whose court the cas came up yesterday announced his withdrawal citing “undue pressure from the high and mighty” in the society over the case.

He also cited pressure from family members who belong to the Church, saying that he would not want to rule against his conscience and explained that he would rather return the case file to the Chief Judge to reassign it to another judge.

He condemned a plot by some persons to exert undue influence on him in dispensing the matter, vowing that he would rather remain materially poor and spiritually wealthy than succumb to such gimmicks.

The suit has sought an injunction to restrain the Nigeria Police from continued occupation of the National Secretariat of the Church and return it to its former occupant, Emeka, whose workers were on kicked out of the place by a contingent of Police and Soldiers from the 82 Division of the Nigeria Army on Wednesday.

The Secretariat which had been occupied by Emeka since he was elected General Superintendent of the Church was subsequently handed over to the factional leader, Chidi Okoroafor and his group under security agencies watch.

Emeka, who has before now accused Police and Army of complicity in the matter, said Assemblies of God Church “remains under my control as the General Superintendent”.

He said the substantive suit, which he filed in court was slated for hearing on April 27, adding that “whatever anybody is doing now when parties to the suit have been served as directed is subjudiced.”