President Buhari sacked Mr. Jim Obazee who must have acted on instruction to cover up from public cry over the controversial edict - Fayose

The National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Dr. Felix Omobude, says the decision of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to suspend the Corporate Governance Code issued by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria is a good one. But the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said the sacking of
the Executive Secretary of the Financial Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Mr. Jim Obazee, by President Muhammadu Buhari is a cover-up to stop public outcry.

Also, a section of Christian leaders led by the General Overseer of the Sword of the Spirit Ministry, Bishop Wale Oke, on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to stay away from the affairs of churches and religious bodies, adding that apart from suspending the controversial edict, it should annul it.

The church leaders on Tuesday met in Ibadan over the controversial corporate Governance Code 2016, which, among other things, stipulates a 20-year tenure for heads of religious groups and civil rights organisations.

Other Christian leaders at the meeting included the General Overseer of Calvary Bible Church Worldwide, Olumide Emmanuel, President of Aggressive Faith International, Port Harcourt, Michael Amieye, and Prophet Samuel Akande of the Gospel Promotion Outreach of the Christ Apostolic Church.

Oke, who spoke on their behalf, described the controversial code as an anti-Christ policy.

He said, “We thank God that Buhari came in quickly to quell the fire that would have engulfed the nation. He knew nothing about what happened and that was why he suspended the edict, he should go further to annul it.”

Oke said religion was not a creation of the government and that the FG lacked the power to regulate its operations or the tenure of its leaders.

“The government has not done enough by suspending the controversial edict, it should be repealed and annulled. It should not exist at all. The government can regulate the finances of all its agencies but it has no business in regulating the tenure of spiritual headship of any organisation because they are not a creation of government.”

Omobude, in a statement on Tuesday, said the code was unnecessary because the activities of the not-for-profit organisations were already regulated by provisions of the law under which they were registered.

The PFN president slammed the FRC for failing to get the nod of concerned stakeholders on the code and address legitimate concerns raised by many before enforcing it.

The statement partly read, “While the PFN respects the right of the appropriate government agency to make laws for the good of all, the PFN states emphatically that it will not sleep on her right, especially as it affects freedom of worship.

“The PFN appeals for calm, restraint and understanding on the part of all Christians and for continued prayers for the year 2017 to be one of greater peace and prosperity for all Nigerians.”

Fayose, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, said, “When they realised the implication of their action on President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 ambition, especially the personality like Pastor Adeboye that is involved, they quickly sacked an innocent man who must have acted on instruction.”

The governor said it was funny that Buhari who was over 70 years would be the one to implement a regulation limiting the age of General Overseers of Churches to 70 years.