By Ralph Madugu
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has sued the Federal Government on the legality or otherwise of the recently gazette controversial Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 over certain provisions which the group is uncomfortable with.
The suit, No. FHC/ABJ/CS/244/2021, between the Incorporated Trustees of CAN and the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, was filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
CAN is seeking the court to stop government from interfering with church management through any of its agencies.
A statement by CAN General Secretary, Barrister Joseph Daramola, said the case was mentioned at the Federal High Court Abuja on Monday, March 15, 2021.
Said he: “The plaintiff’s counsels, led by Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN, includes but not limited to Prof. J. Ampitan, SAN, Wale Adesokan, SAN, Isaac Okpanachi, Esq., Comfort Otera Chigbue, Esq., Godswill Iyoke, Esq., Dr. Cyril Obika, Esq., Geraldine Mbah, Esq., Oluniyi Adediji Esq. and Charles Ndukwe, Esq.
Others are “Emmanuel Ekong, Esq., and Darlington Onyekwere, Esq., Madu Joe-Kyari Gadzama, Esq., Lama Joe Kyari Gadzama, Esq., Rev. Fr. Joseph Ilorah, Esq., Amazing Ikpala, Esq., and a host of other legal luminaries.”
The statement further disclosed that the “CAN leaders present in court included the General Secretary, Joseph Bade Daramola, Esq., Elder Kunle Fagbemi, Senator Philip Gyunka, Elder Tunde Adegbesan, Rev. Dr. Testimony Onifade, the Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Comfort Otera Chigbue, Esq., and Senator Jonathan Zwingina.”
It was gathered that the apex umbrella organisation of Christians in Nigeria decided to seek legal redress after all efforts to convince the Federal Government not to interfere with the management of the Church in Nigeria through any of its agencies failed.