Church Sacks General Overseer Over Fraud

There is war in the house of God in Calabar . The war is in Mount Zion Light House Full Gospel Church (MZLHFGC) over leadership of the church.

The raging conflict has already claimed major casualties, one of them is the President and General Overseer of the Church in Nigeria , His Lordship Bishop Nyong David Nyakhude.

During the 2010 Easter celebration in Calabar, a member of the Board of Trustees, Apostle Maurice Archibong led other bishops, pastors, apostles, elders of the church who came from across the federation to adopt resolutions of an “extra-ordinary General Assembly” of the church that was convened at the national headquarters of the church in Calabar, Cross River State to announce the expulsion of the overseer.

Others sacked along with Bishop Nyakhude in the “Easter Shocker” include Bishop Jacob Brown Adobeng and Bishop Paul Akpan Augustine. They were relieved of their positions as members of the Board of Trustees of the church.

Apostle Asuquo Maurice Archibong, who is the General Secretary of the church said he is the only member of the Nyakhdu-led leadership that survived the dismissal.

He said the action which led to the sacking of the overseer and his other leaders started on February 21, 2010 when a vote of no confidence was passed on the former President and members of the BOT, by Council of Elders of the church.

According to him, he as the General Secretary presided over the removal of the former executive, Bishop Nyakhude and the BOT members because they were allegedly involved in acts of “gross misconduct, violation of the of the constitution of the church and mismanagement of the resources of the church”.

Apostle Asuquo said members of the sacked EXCO allegedly foisted themselves on the church when they came on board in 1990, saying the General Assembly has resolved to draft a new constitution, through which leaders will emerge through elections rather than appointments.

Commenting on the crisis in the church, the Bishop of the Calabar Arch-Diocese, Bishop Bassey said the trio were removed, as a result of alleged attempted “boardroom coups” and power tussle, over the management and control of the church.

Bishop Archibong, who described their removal as necessary, regretted that the leadership crisis has gulped over N7 million from the coffers of the church, as the former President and members of the BOT were said to have dragged the matter to court, allegedly spending the church funds, without approval by council of elders.

In his reaction, Bishop Nyakhude said the action if the Board of Trustees was illegal as the matter is still pending at the state High Court as well as Federal High Court, sitting in Calabar.