The African Church has endured much turbulence in recent years, not because of those committed to truth, justice, and constitutional order, but due to the glaring failings of its suspended Primate, Julius Olayinka Osayande Abbe. His latest press release of June 24, 2025, was not only laced with deliberate falsehoods and character assassinations, but shamefully deceitful, deeply misleading, and quite unfortunate. It is a pitiable attempt to rewrite history, cover his constitutional infractions, and distract well-meaning members of the Church from the weighty issues that have brought us to this point of crisis. For the sake of the Church and truth, we must set the record straight.
*On Alleged Falsehood and Misinformation:* Abbe accused our group of misleading the public and feeding the church with lies. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is, in fact, Abbe and his cohort of social media mercenaries who have consistently fed the church with falsehood, manipulated facts, and twisted history to suit their selfish agenda. The deliberate omission of context, distortion of events, and open hostility towards those who question his unbiblical and unconstitutional practices are the true dangers misleading the flock.
*Who Are the True Rebels?:* Abbe labeled our leaders as rebels and power brokers. If indeed we were power seekers, we would not have risked our positions and convenience to call out his many infractions. Since Abbe assumed office in 2019, The African Church has not known peace. His style of leadership has been marked by arrogance, division, vendettas, and disregard for due process.
*Constitutional Breach, Not Personal Control:* He alleged that we want him to take instructions from us. This is false. Our only demand has been that he adheres to the Constitution, the same Constitution he swore to uphold at his consecration. It is his flagrant and repeated violation of this sacred document that led to widespread discontent and resistance.
*The 2018 Lay Presidency Debate:* In an attempt to score cheap points, Abbe pointed fingers at the support we gave Engr. Babatunde Odufuwa in 2018. The truth is, no one questioned the legality of his election then. The error only became obvious when the true interpretation of the Constitution was brought to light. Should we, as a church, continue in sin simply because we did not know better before? God forbid! Romans 6:1 is clear. Discovering a constitutional error and deciding to correct it is not rebellion, it is righteousness.
*Spiritual Programmes and Evangelism:* Abbe shamelessly accused our leaders of lacking interest in evangelism and spiritual development. We ask him: what significant spiritual programme has he introduced since 2019? What revival has he led? What outreach has he championed? He has preferred luxury trips over mission. At a time when one of our ministers required N4 million for surgery, Abbe sought N7 million to relax in London. This is a man who prioritizes comfort over compassion.
*Hijacking Credit for Projects He Fought:* The National Secretariat at Ifako, which today stands as a monumental achievement for The African Church, was stoutly resisted by Abbe when the project began. Yet, today, he claims credit for it. This level of dishonesty is a slap in the face to the real visionaries who saw the project to completion.
*On ‘Alcoholic Joints’ and Church Loyalty:* Abbe accused respected elders of congregating at alcoholic joints. Ironically, it was in those very places that his own ambition to become Primate was allegedly championed. If he knows their meeting spots so well, it suggests prior participation. Moreover, what does it say of a leader who cannot inspire transformation in his flock? To deride his elders in public reveals a lack of maturity and humility unworthy of a spiritual leader.
*May 1st Meeting – A Sham and a Trap:* The so-called Laity Council meeting of May 1st, which Abbe glorified, was neither constitutional nor transparent. The agenda was hidden. The process was manipulated. All genuine attempts by respected elders, including Apostle Wole Odusanya, to mediate and provide structure were frustrated. Only 13 out of over 60 bishops attended. Not a single Archbishop was present. As a result of lack of credible attendees, someone who is not even a member of his local church council was made to sit on the high table. That meeting was a farce designed to rubber-stamp Abbe's illegality.
*Archbishop Odufuwa’s Emergence:* The legal and constitutional meeting of May 29, 2025, convened by the Incorporated Trustees, invited Abbe to preside. He refused. In line with the Constitution, the most senior Archbishop, Odufuwa, presided. When Abbe defied a court order and held his illegal meeting in Calabar, he sealed his fate. His suspension was carried out lawfully and Archbishop Odufuwa was formally declared Acting Primate. So, what exactly is the fuss about the Acting Primate, considering he was validly appointed?
*The Supremacy of the Constitution:* No one is above the Constitution, not even the Primate. Every clergyman, during ordination, elevation, consecration and inestiture, pledges to protect and defend the Constitution. Reverence to the office of the Primate does not override allegiance to our governing document. Abbe violated his oath and expected blind loyalty in return. That is entirely unacceptable. In The African Church, every clergyman's first loyalty is to the constitutional order, not to personalities. Even the Primate’s authority derives its legitimacy from that constitution. More so, in the scriptures, obedience to leadership is not absolute; it is conditional and guided by truth and righteousness, as clearly stated in Acts 5:29: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Therefore, when the Primate's actions contradict God’s principles, undermine justice, and violate the very constitution he swore to uphold, it is not only right but imperative that Archbishop Odufuwa and all who are committed to truth, justice, and accountability refuse to follow blindly. God forbid such moral compromise!
*On Legal Matters:* Abbe’s hypocrisy is laid bare in his comments on court cases. While he publicly calls on others to withdraw their legal suits in the name of peace, he continues to pursue his own cases through proxies. Notably, he instituted legal action against Rev. Canon Bukola Okunowo and the Nigeria Police, not on the grounds of defamation, which would have been expected if he truly felt wronged, but on the basis of alleged violations of his fundamental human rights, following an attempt to arrest him over certificate forgery. How ironic that the same man who initiated these court proceedings turns around to accuse others of destabilizing the Church by seeking legal redress. He demands that others withdraw their suits, yet makes no demonstrable effort to withdraw his own. This blatant double standard exposes his lack of sincerity. Indeed, he who comes to equity must come with clean hands, a principle Abbe has repeatedly violated.
*False Claims of Majority Loyalty:* Out of the current 66 dioceses in The African Church, fewer than 15 are aligned with Abbe. So, on what basis does he claim to have the support of the majority? The numbers are clear, and the people are not deceived. We are not interested in trading words with him over who holds the majority, it is self-evident. When over 70% of the Archbishops and Bishops have distanced themselves from you; when more than 40 out of 66 newly elected Vice Lay Presidents are not in your camp; only 15 of them were sworn-in at your illegal meeting in Calabar and we had a total of 31 sworn-in at our May 29th Meeting at Ifako in Lagos; and 6 out of the 8 members of the immediate past management have withdrawn their support; the Grand Patron, the Patrons, the Incorporated Trustees, and numerous respected elders and stakeholders, who have been instrumental to the growth, peace, and stability of this church, have rejected your leadership, where exactly is your so-called “overwhelming majority”? Facts do not lie. If you insist you have the support of the majority, then publish the list of dioceses, leaders, and members who have pledged loyalty to you, and we will publish ours. Let the people compare and judge for themselves. Truth, not propaganda, will always prevail.
*Financial Control and Manipulation:* Abbe accused us of seeking access to church funds, yet he and Engr. Odufuwa have written to banks since December 2024 to restrict access, demanding only their signatures be honoured—even on accounts Abbe is not signatory to. This is well-documented. Their scheme has only recently been curtailed with the emergence of a constitutional Acting Primate.
*Harassment and Intimidation:* Abbe shamelessly accuses us of blackmail and harassment, yet he and his loyalists are the true architects of intimidation.. It is his men who have flooded social media with threats, character assassination, and malicious propaganda aimed at silencing clergy, blackmailing elders, and intimidating anyone who refuses to submit to their unconstitutional agenda. We have a growing body of documented evidence - screenshots, letters, and eyewitness accounts that clearly expose their actions. At the infamous Calabar gathering, promotions to the episcopate were shamelessly used as bait. Out of over 200 Archdeacons from the Southwest alone, 17 of the 19 who showed up were instantly elevated to Bishops, purely as a reward for allegiance, not merit or divine calling, raking-in millions of naira from. This speaks volumes about the transactional leadership style Abbe has embraced. Even more absurd is that the same man now crying harassment and blackmail recently petitioned the police at Eleweran in Abeokuta, Ogun State, falsely accusing the validly appointed Acting Primate of threatening his life and impersonating his office. This is the height of hypocrisy and desperation. When truth and constitutional order are inconvenient, Abbe resorts to state machinery to suppress dissent, yet he dares to parade himself as a victim.
*Insults to Eminent Church Leaders:* Abbe referred to respected figures like Elder Pius Adedayo Sobambo and Dr. Elijah Okiti as layabouts. Elder Sobambo has served the Church with distinction for decades. Abbe even dismissed HRM Oba Adedapo Tejuoso’s advice, saying the Kabiyesi is king only in his palace. Recently, when he reluctantly visited Kabiyesi in the company of some members of the Church, Kabiyesi had to remind him that his first two children are older than him.
*The Certificate Forgery Scandal:* While demanding accountability from others, Abbe deliberately avoided any mention of the certificate forgery allegations that continue to haunt his office. This omission, in a statement meant to address controversies, confirms his attempt to sweep a very sensitive issue under the carpet. Transparency and integrity demand acknowledgment and answers, not silence.
*On My Election as General Secretary:* I, Bro. bayo Ogundimu, was duly elected by a validly convened Conference. I remain the authentic and legitimate General Secretary of The African Church. Even Abbe’s own “appointed” General Secretary contested the election with me and lost. That’s the truth. So, I have every moral and legitimate rights to issue letters on behalf of the Church.
*Dismissals and Excommunications:* Abbe has now turned himself into a Nollywood performer, dismissing 10 Archbishops and excommunicating numerous clergy and laity. He even barred them from Holy Communion. Who next will he excommunicate, the Grand Patron? Evangelism has been sacrificed on the altar of vendetta.
*CONCLUSION*
Let it be unequivocally stated:
1. Julius Abbe remains suspended.
2. Archbishop Odufuwa remains the validly recognized Acting Primate of The African Church.
3. Elder Pius Adedayo Sobambo is the Acting Lay President.
4. Dr. Elijah Okiti is the Acting Deputy Lay President.
5. The Incorporated Trustees are the legal and constitutional owners of The African Church’s heritage and assets.
6. All actions so far in accordance with the resolutions of the validly convened national meetings of May 29th 2025 remain valid and binding
7. Every statement made by the suspended Primate in his press release of 24th June 2025 is null, void and of no effect.
Let it be known to all our members and the public that Primate Abbe’s press release was a concoction of lies, a smokescreen for his failure, and a desperate attempt to reclaim relevance. But the Church is wiser now. Truth shall prevail. The Constitution shall be honoured. And The African Church shall rise again.
_Signed_ ,
*Bro. Bayo Ogundimu*
General Secretary, The African Church
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