By Emeka Samuel, Uyo
Apostolic Church Nigeria, Eket Field, Akwa Ibom has refuted a report purported to have have suspended a Pastor E. Henshaw by the Church Council for hosting members and candidates of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the State on a Thanksgiving Service last weekend.
This is even as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state has warned other political parties against concocting stories and lies against it as campaigns for 2023 elections commence.
The Field Secretary, Pastor B. Okon in a statement made available to newsmen in Uyo yesterday said only the Church Council has the exclusive authority to sanction any staff of the Church.
This was after Henshaw, resident at and Pastoring the Apostolic Church, Ndoneyo District in ONNA Local Council was purportedly suspended by the Church Council for hosting YPP in the State on a Thanksgiving Service last Sunday.
According to the statement, “available information from the Office of the Field Superintendent, Pastor U. S. Ukpong shows that The Church Council which has the exclusive authority to sanction erring staff of the Church has not met since their last General Council Meeting on Tuesday, 6th September, 2022.
“On this note, there is no way the said Pastor E. E. Henshaw could have been suspended on an issue that occurred on Sunday 2nd October, 2022.
“On behalf of The Church Council, we refute any information fed to the public on the suspension of Pastor E. E. Henshaw as falsehood, misleading and scandalous with the sole aim of causing rancor in the polity.
“To this end, the Public is hereby advised to disregard and discountenance the said information as there is no iota of truth in it.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned opposition parties in the State to stop telling lies as campaign for the 2023 has commenced.
The State Publicity Secretary, Borono Bassey in a statement made available to journalists in Uyo said the claim that a certain church in ONNA was sealed on the orders of the Government was totally false and untrue.
The party reasoned that since Governor Udom Emmanuel is not a clergy or member of any of the churches mentioned, he couldn’t have directed the suspension of a priest.
It said if not for the wisdom of Akwa Ibom people who rose in unity to pick holes in the false report, the expected beneficiaries would have turned a hallowed place of worship – The Apostolic Church Nigeria into their first casualty in the series of things they plan to destroy in the journey to seeking elusive political offices.
“For a Governor who is making enviable, exemplary and applaudable efforts in delivering on the promises he made to Akwa Ibom people as encapsulated in his Completion Agenda, we will, in concert with millions of Akwa Ibom people, beginning from now, push back all forms of smear campaigns on Governor Emmanuel and other members of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State.
“We expect candidates of the opposition parties to steer the path of decency and concern themselves with issues throughout this electioneering period. With the new electoral act, this is not just morality, but the law.
“The Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State is confident that as it has been the tradition of Akwa Ibom people, they will together, in unison, tell off, those who seek to sow seeds of division amongst us through their selfish aspiration.
“They will also maintain a patriotic distance from candidates who in the bid to curry public sympathy degenerate to outright falsehood and traffic in painting the State in dark colours.
“Akwa Ibom has been on a journey of progress with the PDP. With the trusted, unfailing support and consent of the people, we will continue on that journey,” the party stated.
