The Global Methodist Church Nigeria legal dispute moved into a new phase this week. At a Tuesday press conference at McBride Global Methodist Church, Bishop John Pena Auta said the denomination filed an appeal in Abuja. He also requested an injunction, so the lower court ruling cannot be enforced during the challenge. Auta said the church respects due process and trusts Nigeria’s justice system, but it will seek relief through lawful channels.
Auta Urges Calm and Compliance
Auta said the GMC remains within its rights to continue activities and use its properties. He urged members to stay calm, prayerful, and steadfast because the case continues. He also warned supporters against confrontation and any actions that could disturb public peace. Church leaders, he said, will pursue redress through the courts and keep the process peaceful.
Lower Court Orders Reversal on Registration and Accounts
The dispute follows a ruling issued last month by High Court Justice Obiora Egwuatu. Egwuatu ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission to reverse its decision to rename the United Methodist Church in Nigeria as the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria. He also directed Zenith Bank to restore control of denominational accounts to the UMC. The ruling stressed that members must follow denominational affiliation rules and that the court cannot override them.
Wider Denominational Rift Fuels Local Tensions
The conflict sits within years of internal UMC disputes over same-sex marriage and ordaining noncelibate homosexual clergy. Rule changes failed for years, but enforcement fights widened divisions and pushed thousands of conservative congregations out by 2023. In 2024, the General Conference removed the contested language, and many African leaders then reconsidered affiliation. Nigeria bans same-sex marriage and homosexuality, and it also restricts participation in LGBT advocacy groups.
Competing Claims, Property Stakes, and Rising Risk
In July 2024, Bishop John Wesley Yohanna said a special session approved leaving the UMC for the GMC. Other Nigerian UMC leaders disputed that claim and said only a minority backed the move. Supporters of the appeal say the Global Methodist Church Nigeria legal dispute demands legal clarity on identity, property, and accounts. Detractors fear the court fight deepens division and could inflame tensions, especially after past clashes such as the violence at Banyam Theological Seminary in February last year.
Global Methodist Church Appeals Nigerian Ruling Favoring UMC Over Church Registration and Assets
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