Akwa Ibom government has ordered the demolition of three Pentecostal Churches in Uyo, the state capital apparently on the allegation that their clergymen might have differed with governor Udom Emmanuel’s choice of successor in the forthcoming general elections in 2023.
The affected Churches include the Holy Ghost Ambassadors Ministry along Ekpanya Street; Dunamis Church, Ikpa Road and the God’s House of Refuge at Ikot Ebido Oku, all in Uyo metropolis.
The demolition notice okayed by the Chairman of Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), Mr Enobong Uwah, reads: ‘’The UCCDA during its routine monitoring exercise observed that your Church building located at 8, Ekpanya Street, Uyo, does not meet planning standards for approval.
“You have negated minimum requirements for such development. It is worthy of note that you are occupying\constructing an illegal structure without prior approval from the authority. The said illegal structure constitutes an offence and contravenes provisions of town and country planning law Cap 133, laws of Akwa Ibom State
“In view of the above, you are hereby given 7-day notice within which to remove the said illegal development and reinstate the land to its original state. Failure to comply with above, the authority will remove same and cost charged on you in addition in addition to any other legal action the authority may deem fit.”
Following the seven days deadline within which owners of Churches alleged to have contravened the town planning laws to free the land for the state government, the affected worship centres, have resorted to court as their last-ditch efforts to safeguard their properties, Tribune Online gathered.
The fiery clergyman of the Holy Ghost Ambassadors, Apostle Nyeneime Andy was alleged to have advised stakeholders, elders and leaders of the Churches under the aegis of Fathers of Faith, in support of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s succession plan in 2023.
He kicked against wholesale involvement of Christians in politics to the point of influencing the governor’s choice of successor, a remark said to have angered Emmanuel to the point of ordering clamp down on such Churches.
Apart from shocking demolition news, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly had backed Oruk Anam Local Government Council in removing the embattled Vice Chairman, Hon. Abasiama Etukakpan whom is said to be a member and a spiritual son to Apostle Andy.
But speaking through his lawyer, Mr Imoh Akpan, the Apostle said “as a law-abiding citizen I am prepared to submit the entire episode for review hoping that through administrative or judicial means, there would be some form of interventions,” adding that “anything short of this will amount to a clear case of infractions on our rights.”
“We are law-abiding people, and like I said we will submit the entire episode for review, hoping that either administratively or judicially, there would be some form of Interventions, otherwise it will amount to a clear case of infractions on our rights,” he said.
On whether he suspected any foul play in the issue, the cleric said he would not introduce undertones, adding that his impression is that the UCCDA may have been misdirected considering that the building does not violate any town planning laws.
His words: “We would rather not introduce undertones but we will approach the issues as they come. First, of all our impression is that somebody may have been misdirected or has misdirected himself to have taken the actions that had been taken because if you take a look at the surroundings, the structure, the premises that are being queried, you will discover that it is probably the best engineering design or architectural masterpiece you can find around here,” he stressed.
Speaking on alleged opposition to the governor’s succession plan, Andy said: “I am not aware that the governor has a succession plan or has pencilled down someone to succeed him.
“The governor has said he has no successor that God Almighty will determine his successor. And that to me means that he still has a lot on his plate to deliver to Akwa Ibom people.”
“An honest advice that the Church should not indulge in politics to the extent of influencing Emmanuel’s choice of successor; that the governor should instead canvass for a home grown politician who knows the problem of the people is what has angered the governor to the point of fighting the body of Christ in the name of politics,” a senior member of the Church, who craved anonymity disclosed to newsmen in Uyo.
“We have Methodist Church and other Churches along this same Ekpanya Street as well as NSCDC office along this road but why must the government single out only our own Church for demolition for violating Town Planning laws, it is so sad”, he lamented.
Straightnews gathered from some of the Church leaders that Pastor Andy, was summoned by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) where he was grilled for several hours to withdraw his position and apologize to the governor.
“We condemn and detest these despotic tendencies by His Excellency the governor in trying to force everyone to toe his line. When he came in 2015, the Church supported him and his re-election in 2019 under his ‘Only God’ slogan.
Now the governor using ‘That Same God’ as the new slogan in trying to install his successor, is directly fighting the same God in another guise,” the Church leaders noted and vowed to continue their worship to God on the debris of the ruined Church, if the building is eventually demolished.
The Fathers of Faith had met with Emmanuel on the matter at the weekend during a breakfast parley at the Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo where the governor was said to have wooed the Church leaders with N50 million to support his cause to install his choice of successor, but Apostle Andy and others were said to have taken a different position, forcing the governor to bare his fangs.
