The Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari has generated unusual controversy.
Buhari had on August 7 signed the Act into law after it was passed by the National Assembly. The newly signed Act replaced the 1990 CAMA.
The General Overseer of the Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, said the Federal Government should expunge the part of the Act that gives the supervising minister powers to remove the board of trustees of churches without recourse to the court.
On its part, the Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) has described the signing of the as illegality and has vowed to challenge it in court.
Delivering a sermon last Sunday, Oyedepo cautioned against some sections of the bill which makes provisions for trustees of churches to be removed at the discretion of the registrar-general.
According to him, “In the document, they said the registrar-general can remove the trustees without recourse to the court. Don’t try it. This must be from somebody who woke up from the wrong side of the bed after dreaming. The person must have drafted that aspect in the bill as their custom is.”
“I am 51 years old in this thing (Christianity), don’t try it. I have been with Jesus for some time and I am sent as a prophet to nations. That a minister can remove the trustees and close the accounts of the church is.
“You don’t know the strength of any man until you molest his wife. The cheapest way for a leader to lose respect is to insult the wife of his worker. He will tell you to take your job and insult you thoroughly.”
“In fact, they said they would appoint managers. So, they can appoint occultists to be managers of church affairs when we are alive. Don’t try it when this crude prophet is alive, when all the sons of the prophets are alive, don’t try it. this is timely advice,’ Oyedepo said.
On its Twitter handle, SERAP described the CAMA Act as the most repressive in Nigeria’s history and said it will further suppress citizen’s rights.
“The Companies & Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 is the most repressive law in Nigeria’s history. It will be used to further suppress citizens’ rights.
“Dr Ahmad Lawan Senate and Femi Gbajabiamila of the House of Representatives passed it and President Muhammadu Buhari signed it. We’re challenging this illegality in court,” SERAP said.
