By Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
Bitter leadership tussles is currently rocking Divine Mandate Pastors(DMP), an umbrella body of clerics who worked for the election of Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, during the 2015 general election.
The crisis however escalated during the weekend as some members of the forum attempted to impeach their leaeer, Evangelist Emphraim Ononye, over allegations of gross misconduct.
However, the situation was brought under control following the intervention of the Senior Special Adviser to Governor Umahi on Religion and Welfare Matters, Rev. Father Abraham Nwali.
The pastors, numbering over 50, had converged on the Pastoral Centre of the Catholic Diocese, Mile 50 Abakaliki and announced the removal of Evangelist Ephraim Ononye and replaced him with Pastor Ifeanyi Igwe.
Ononye was accused of general misconduct, unruly behaviour, arrogance, autocratic, and hostile among others by the Divine Mandate Pastors.
In a resolution signed by some Coordinators of the group in the 13 local government areas of the state, the Divine Mandate Pastors further accused Ononye of not calling them for a meeting since after their victory in 2015 general election.
But in a reaction, some of the Pastors including Rev. Ukoma Nnachi (Afikpo South), Ogbonnaya Inya (Afikpo North), Agwu Lawrence (Ivo), Okike Lawrence (Ohaozara) and Alloy Ogah (Ikwo) maintained that Ononye remains their leader and cannot be removed by anyone except Governor Umahi who made him their leader.
“Some disgruntled elements cannot impeach our leader, Ononye, because they don’t have the locus standi to do that. They did not elect or appoint him to lead us; it is the governor who made him our leader and has the right to remove him.”
They however cautioned the group to desist from politicking and concentrate on their duties as clergymen.
Addressing reporters in Abakaliki, the Senior Special Adviser to Governor Umahi on Religion and Welfare Matters, Rev, Fr. Abraham Nwali, described the leadership crisis as a family rift.
“It’s a family rift. Since the divine mandate pastors were founded at the discretion of his Excellency the Governor, there will not be reshufflement of any sort without his consent.
“But from indications, there are lots of dissatisfaction in the system, good number of them are quite dissatisfied that since after the election they have not actually converged to sing, to pray or to even discuss their affairs.
“They feel like abandoned like sheep without shepherd and that bitterness led to their protest against their leader during the meeting whom they said they have removed.
‘‘We have told them that since they are all partners in progress, they should remain calm until when his Excellency returns when he will interface with them. Because of that family discomfort, we will not give them the money meant for the empowerment of the poor in the state.”
