ANGLICAN HOUSE OF BISHOPS ELECTION MARRED BY CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

A swirling allegation of corruption is now rocking the Church of

Nigeria (Anglican Communion) over the recent election which

threw up The Rt. Rev. Humphrey Olumakaiye as the new Bishop

of Lagos. At the Episcopal Synod in Ilorin, Kwara State, the

leadership of the church announced through a statement by its

General Secretary, The Rt. Rev. (Dr.) Ayodeji Fagbemi, that a

number of new bishops and archbishops were said to have been

elected.

The Rt Rev. Olumakaiye, according to the statement, would be

transiting from the Diocese of Osun North East to Lagos.

However, the mood among members of the congregation in Lagos

is suggesting a strong disaffection and clear opposition to the

election of Olumakaiye, seen to have been imposed by the

outgoing Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, The Most Rev. (Dr.) Adebola

Ademowo.

In a statement in Lagos at the weekend signed by one Mr. Ade

Doherty on behalf of members of the church in Lagos and who

claimed to be aggrieved over the said election of Olumakaiye,

they stated that his election was stage managed, not influenced by

the Holy Spirit and as such unacceptable. They stated:

"The so-called election of Olumakaiye at the recent Synod in Ilorin

was a clear manipulation of the House of Bishops who were "tele

guided" by both Ademowo and The Primate, the Most Revd. (Dr.)

Nicholas Okoh. Of course, we have it on good authority that huge

sums of money exchanged hands to facilitate the so-called election

of Olumakaiye and majority of our members in Lagos stand united

in opposition to this mischief! It is a charade and can never

stand".

They further claimed that such action by the House of Bishops was

a way of trying to elongate the tenure of Ademowo while they

also alleged that he (Ademowo), in order to perfect the election

manipulation, facilitated a Multi-million Naira house for Primate

Okoh in the Lekki area of Lagos. They made references to

Ademowo's earlier statements and actions they claimed paved the

way to Olumakaiye's emergence.

They further stated that their solicitors had prepared a petition to

the EFCC to probe the alleged acquisition of the Lekki property,

the financial inducements in the House of Bishops, and the alleged

porous accounts of the Lagos Diocese and women organisations in

the Lagos Diocese, which they allege is the reason for the

succession at all costs