The Board of the Diocese of Awka, Anglican Communion, has rejected the suspension of its Bishop, Alexander Ibezim, by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Henry Ndukuba.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Ndukuba had suspended the archbishop for six months over varied allegations, together with promoting of church land for N2 billion.
The suspension, in accordance to the primate, was to permit for clear investigations into allegations in opposition to the archbishop and the diocese.
Mr Ndukuba additionally introduced the appointment of the Bishop of the Diocese of Aguata, Samuel Ezeofor, because the supervising bishop of the church’s Diocese of Awka and coordinating bishop of the Province of the Niger.
This newspaper additionally reported that Mr Ibezim filed , difficult his suspension and plan to self-discipline him over varied allegations, together with the promoting of the church land for N2 billion.
We could rejoin the Church of England
Reacting to the suspension, the diocese’s Board within the Anglican Communion, rejected the six month suspension of Mr Ibezim.
The board additionally rejected Mr Ezeofor’s appointment because the supervising bishop of the diocese.
In a communique issued on the finish of its emergency assembly on Friday 16 October, the board threatened to withdraw from the Church of Nigeria and rejoin the Church of England if the choices weren’t discontinued.
“The Board emphatically states that if the Primate and Bishop Ezeofor continue threatening the peace of Awka Diocese and its Archbishop and bishop, and unlawfully interfere with its affairs, it shall withdraw from the Church of Nigeria and continue with the Church of England, which never disturbed the diocese,” the board mentioned within the communiqué.
The communiqué, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, was signed by the disputed Chancellor of the Diocese, B.E.I. Nwofor, Senior Advocate of Nigeria; Synod Secretary, Ok.E.N. Chukwukamma; and Lay Synod Secretary, Eugene Okonkwo.
PREMIUM TIMES recollects that, in October final yr, the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) introduced a breakaway from the Church of England, rejecting the appointment of Sarah Mullally, a feminine bishop, as the brand new archbishop of Canterbury.
The Church mentioned Ms Mullally’s help for same-sex marriage and her elevation as the primary feminine to maintain the place signified a troubling ethical decline inside the management of the Anglican Communion.
Respect the courts
In the communiqué, the Board of Diocese of Awka mentioned Messrs Ndukuba and Ezeofor ought to respect the courts the place the allegations in opposition to Mr Ibezim had been pending.
It referenced three separate three lawsuits in numerous courts in regards to the allegations in opposition to Mr Ibezim.
According to the board, one go well with includes Mr Ibezim and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission whereas the second lawsuit concerned the suspended archbishop, the Inspector-General of Police and others.
The third go well with was instituted by Mr Ibezim himself, difficult his suspension and plan to self-discipline him by Mr Ndukuba.
“They are also aware that it is unlawful and contemptuous to disregard the court and take the law into their hands by actions which have the effect of pre-empting or anticipating the decisions of the court, such as the letter under reference,” the communiqué said.
The Board argued that the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020 in addition to the Constitution and Regulations of Awka Diocese 2023 didn’t authorise the Primate to direct Mr Ibezim to proceed on obligatory depart or appoint one other bishop to assume his episcopal duties.
It equally challenged Mr Ndukuba’s reliance on Section 29(1) of the Church of Nigeria’s Constitution and Canons, arguing that the availability didn’t empower him to compel a fellow bishop and archbishop to take depart, hand over his duties or cease officiating in church actions.
The Board contended that the directive violated Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as amended, which ensures the presumption of innocence for anybody charged with a felony offence till confirmed responsible.
It additional alleged that the restriction on Mr Ibezim’s participation in church actions infringed on his proper to freedom of thought, conscience and faith below Section 38(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended.
Suspension for neutral investigation
The Board additionally faulted the Primate’s clarification that the suspension of the archbishop was meant to guarantee an neutral investigation into the allegations of monetary impropriety.
It claimed that Mr Ndukuba had initially constituted two panels to examine the allegations in opposition to Mr Ibezim however later withheld their experiences.
The board mentioned within the communiqué that the primary panel was constituted in a letter dated 13 August 2025, and chaired by Babashola Ogunade, whereas the second was arrange in a letter dated 17 June 2026, below the chairmanship of Blessing Enyindah, one other archbishop.
The Board alleged that the primate had failed to submit the experiences and proposals to the Episcopal Synod for consideration, as required by Sections 75(3), (4) and (5), and 76(3), (4) and (5) of the Church of Nigeria’s Constitution and Canons.
It mentioned the provisions of the structure and the church rules required the experiences to be thought of by the Episcopal Synod, with the related suggestions subjected to the approval of the Standing Committee and ratification by the General Synod.
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No monetary wrongdoing
The Board insisted that regardless of the purported suspension, Mr Ibezim remained the bishop of Awka Diocese and Archbishop of the Province of the Niger, sustaining that the cleric should proceed to discharge the duties of his places of work.
“The Board unequivocally affirms that no money of Awka Diocese is missing, stolen, misused, or misappropriated by Archbishop Ibezim. Even the two panels set up by the Primate have not disclosed any indictment of financial misdeed by Archbishop Ibezim,” the communiqué learn partly.
The board claimed Mr Ibezim made “significant infrastructural development” within the diocese and urged him to proceed his work with out distraction.
It additionally warned Mr Ezeofor in opposition to interfering within the affairs of Awka Diocese, urging him to think about his duties as Bishop of Aguata Diocese.
The Board vowed to invoke the regulation and contain regulation enforcement businesses if Messrs Ndukuba and Ezeofor continued to intervene within the affairs of the diocese.
It additionally directed all organs of the diocese to stay loyal to Mr Ibezim and proceed their lawful actions.
The board warned all of the organs in opposition to accepting directives from Mr Ezeofor which it harassed would quantity to interference within the diocese’s affairs.
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