The Young Progressives Party (YPP) members and candidates were hosted by the Apostolic Church Nigeria (CAN), Eket Field, Akwa Ibom State in response to a supposed suspension of one Pastor E. E. Henshaw by the Church Council.
In a statement, Pastor B. E. Okon, the Field Secretary of the Church Council of the ACN Eket Field, warned that such an action might engender political unrest.
Henshaw, who leads the Apostolic Church in the state’s Onna Local Government Area’s Ndoneyo District, reportedly received a suspension from the church council.
However, Okon disputed the claim and emphasized that only the church council has the sole ability to discipline church employees.
The church council, which has the exclusive ability to discipline errant church workers, has not met since their last general council meeting on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, according to information available from the Office of the Field Superintendent, Pastor U. S. Ukpong.
On that basis, it is impossible that the aforementioned Pastor E. E. Henshaw could have been fired for something that happened on Sunday, October 2, 2022.
“On behalf of the church council, we reject any material made public on Pastor E. E. Henshaw’s suspension as false, deceptive, and scandalous with the express purpose of igniting political dissent.
The public is hereby urged to reject and discard the said material because it contains absolutely no truth.
As the campaign for the 2023 elections has begun, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has cautioned opposing parties to avoid spreading falsehoods.
In a statement made available to journalists in Uyo, the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Borono Bassey, denied the assertion that a particular church in Onna was sealed on the direction of the state government.
The PDP said that Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, could not have ordered the suspension of a priest because he is not a member of the clergy or any of the churches mentioned.
According to the report, the expected beneficiaries would have made a revered place of worship, The Apostolic Church Nigeria, their first victim in a long list of things they planned to destroy in their pursuit of elusive political positions, if it weren’t for the wisdom of the Akwa Ibom people who rose in unison to poke holes in the false report.
“We will work with millions of Akwa Ibom people to push back all smear campaigns against Governor Emmanuel and other PDP members in Akwa Ibom State, starting right now, for a governor who is making admirable, commendable, and commendable efforts to fulfill the promises he made to the Akwa Ibom people as encapsulated in his Completion Agenda.
“We anticipate that opposition party candidates would follow moral guidelines and give problems attention throughout this campaigning season. This is not simply morality under the new electoral statute; it is also the law.
“The PDP in Akwa Ibom State is certain that, in keeping with their custom, the Akwa Ibom people will stand as one and reprimand those who want to plant seeds of discord among us for their own ambition.
“They will also keep a patriotic distance from candidates who, in an effort to win over voters, resort to plain lies and engage in the practice of presenting the state in a negative light.
“With the PDP, Akwa Ibom has been making progress. We will continue on that journey with the people’s unwavering, dependable support and approval, the statement stated.
