The troubled Anglican Priest in the Diocese on the Niger, Rev. Canon LumenCristi Eboh, has told the Anglican Communion on the Niger that the church has no powers to sack him as a priest of the Communion.
He said he remained a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek and could not be dismissed from priesthood except by God, who ordained him as His minister.
Last month, the Diocese had in a Press Conference, announced the sacking of Eboh, following alleged misconduct and disobedience.
It was gathered that before the sack, the Bishop, Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo, through the Deputy Chancellor, Sir Ben Uzuegbu, accused the priest of deliberately avoiding invitations to defend the allegations of sexual immorality and impregnating a girl and other sundry charges.
However, the priest said his alleged dismissal by the Bishop, which was in exercise of his canonical powers was limited only in the diocese.
Speaking through his lawyer, Stanley Okafor, the priest accused the Bishop of making references to matters already in court against him, as well as anchoring his suspension and dismissal on imaginary allegations.
“My attention has been drawn to statements which emanated from the deputy chancellor and Director of Communications of the Diocese which tainted my character and portrayed me in bad light during a press parley.
“Needless to say that these agents of the Diocese acted at the pleasure of my lord Bishop”, he said.
“One would have expected a respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria and his peers to advise the bishop aright that matters in court should be stepped down pending determination of substantive matters by court of proper jurisdiction.
“If indeed these matters are before the court of law, why would my lord bishop therefore preempt the court by suspending and dismissing me on those same allegations even when my innocence or otherwise has not been determined by these courts?”
Eboh, who had earlier resigned his Priesthood, said the decision followed protracted threats from the Bishop, as well as accumulated acrimony between two of them.
He denied being a Catholic Seminarian before switching over to the Anglican communion, saying he had been an Anglican from birth and would remain there till death.
According to him, he is the only Priest,whose name is not captured in the payroll of the church.
He stated that the allegation of impregnating a girl is childish and diversionary, adding that he was advised by his legal team to refrain from comments on the matter as it could jeopardise investigation.
