Diocese threatens to quit Church of Nigeria over archbishop’s suspension

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 various allegations, including selling of church land for N2 billion.

The suspension, according to the primate, was to allow for transparent investigations into allegations against the archbishop and the diocese.

Mr Ndukuba also announced the appointment of the Bishop of the Diocese of Aguata, Samuel Ezeofor, as the supervising bishop of the church’s Diocese of Awka and coordinating bishop of the Province of the Niger.

This newspaper also reported that Mr Ibezim filed , challenging his suspension and plan to discipline him over various allegations, including the selling of the church land for N2 billion.

We may rejoin the Church of England

Reacting to the suspension, the diocese’s Board in the Anglican Communion, rejected the six month suspension of Mr Ibezim.

The board also rejected Mr Ezeofor’s appointment as the supervising bishop of the diocese.

In a communique issued at the end of its emergency meeting on Friday 16 October, the board threatened to withdraw from the Church of Nigeria and rejoin the Church of England if the decisions were not 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 said in 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, K.E.N. Chukwukamma; and Lay Synod Secretary, Eugene Okonkwo.

PREMIUM TIMES recalls that, in October last year, the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) announced a breakaway from the Church of England, rejecting the appointment of Sarah Mullally, a female bishop, as the new archbishop of Canterbury.

The Church said Ms Mullally’s support for same-sex marriage and her elevation as the first female to hold the position signified a troubling moral decline within the leadership of the Anglican Communion.

Respect the courts

In the communiqué, the Board of Diocese of Awka said Messrs Ndukuba and Ezeofor should respect the courts where the allegations against Mr Ibezim were pending.

It referenced three separate three lawsuits in different courts concerning the allegations against Mr Ibezim.

According to the board, one suit involves Mr Ibezim and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission while the second lawsuit involved the suspended archbishop, the Inspector-General of Police and others.

The third suit was instituted by Mr Ibezim himself, challenging his suspension and plan to 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 stated.

The Board argued that the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020 as well as the Constitution and Regulations of Awka Diocese 2023 did not authorise the Primate to direct Mr Ibezim to proceed on compulsory leave or appoint another bishop to assume his episcopal responsibilities.

It equally challenged Mr Ndukuba’s reliance on Section 29(1) of the Church of Nigeria’s Constitution and Canons, arguing that the provision did not empower him to compel a fellow bishop and archbishop to take leave, hand over his duties or stop officiating in church activities.

The Board contended that the directive violated Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as amended, which guarantees the presumption of innocence for anyone charged with a criminal offence until proven guilty.

It further alleged that the restriction on Mr Ibezim’s participation in church activities infringed on his right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion under Section 38(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended.

Suspension for impartial investigation

The Board also faulted the Primate’s explanation that the suspension of the archbishop was intended to ensure an impartial investigation into the allegations of financial impropriety.

It claimed that Mr Ndukuba had initially constituted two panels to investigate the allegations against Mr Ibezim but later withheld their reports.

The board said in the communiqué that the first panel was constituted in a letter dated 13 August 2025, and chaired by Babashola Ogunade, while the second was set up in a letter dated 17 June 2026, under the chairmanship of Blessing Enyindah, another archbishop.

The Board alleged that the primate had failed to submit the reports and recommendations 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 said the provisions of the constitution and the church regulations required the reports to be considered by the Episcopal Synod, with the relevant recommendations subjected to the approval of the Standing Committee and ratification by the General Synod.

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No financial wrongdoing

The Board insisted that despite the purported suspension, Mr Ibezim remained the bishop of Awka Diocese and Archbishop of the Province of the Niger, maintaining that the cleric must continue to discharge the duties of his offices.

“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 read in part.

The board claimed Mr Ibezim made “significant infrastructural development” in the diocese and urged him to continue his work without distraction.

It also warned Mr Ezeofor against interfering in the affairs of Awka Diocese, urging him to concentrate on his responsibilities as Bishop of Aguata Diocese.

The Board vowed to invoke the law and involve law enforcement agencies if Messrs Ndukuba and Ezeofor continued to interfere in the affairs of the diocese.

It also directed all organs of the diocese to remain loyal to Mr Ibezim and continue their lawful activities.

The board warned all the organs against accepting directives from Mr Ezeofor which it stressed would amount to interference in the diocese’s affairs.