Newspaper review: CAN reacts to Obazee's removal as report reveals why Buhari sacked him ~ Zeniths Blog

Newspaper review: CAN reacts to Obazee's removal as report reveals why Buhari sacked him

Major Nigerian dailies for Tuesday, January 10, are still focused on the forced exit of Pastor Enoch Adeboye as the national overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God over the weekend.

Vanguard reports that the federal government fired the executive secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), Jim Osayande Obazee, who was the principal actor in the controversial exit of Pastor Adeboye.

Vanguard newspaper

President Muhammadu Buhari approved Adedotun Sulaiman as the new council chairman, and Daniel Asapokhai as the new executive secretary of the council.

He also ordered the re-constitution of the council’s board.

The controversial corporate governance code 2016 had stipulated 20-years tenure for heads of religious groups and civil rights organisations after which they are to hand over to another person who is not a family member.

The code has been suspended by the federal government pending detailed review and extensive consultation with stakeholders.

The Punch reports Buhari sacked Obazee for disobeying a directive of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechuckwu Enelamah, to suspend the implementation of the controversial code.

The Punch newspaper

A top source in the presidency said the presidency found it curious that a regulation, which the council could not implement during former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, was being enforced under Buhari.

It was learnt that the minister had, on October 17, 2016, written the FRC boss, directing him to suspend the operation of the controversial regulation.

Enelamah was said to have earlier recommended to Buhari that the implementation of the regulation be suspended and the president approved Enelamah’s recommendation.

The minister thereafter conveyed the decision to Obazee.

class="align-left">However, Obazee refused to suspend the regulation because there was no gazette backing the suspension of the regulation.

The news of Obazee’s sack has been greeted with joy by some Christians.

The Nation reports that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) commnded the federal government for Obazee’s removal.

The Nation newspaper

Speaking last night, the general secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, said Obazee’s sack is good riddance to bad rubbish.

He said: “Anybody that wants to fight the church will find himself where he does not want. Jim got to the position by the grace of God, but set out to probe and destroy the church of God. I spoke with him several times on this issue but he wouldn’t listen. He was going to take the church to what is worse than Armageddon. Thank God the authorities have stepped in to right the wrong.”

Asake said Obazee should have been fired a long time ago.

Also speaking, the senior pastor of the Living Spring Chapel International, Lagos, Pastor Femi Emmanuel, said Obazee’s removal was a step in the right direction as the government has no business meddling in the internal structure and governance of the church.