Minister clashes with FRCN Boss over Code that forced out Baba Adeboye

This matter is generating a lot of controversies; some say it is targeted at Christian leaders but even the Muslim Imams are complaining, saying the law/code will not be easy to implement.

There are strong indications that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah, and the Executive Secretary of the Financial Regulatory Council of Nigeria (FRCN), Mr. Jim Obazee, are currently engaged in a face-off over an FRCN regulation, which stipulates 20 years tenure for heads of religious groups and civil society groups in the country.

Sources in Abuja said that the minister had written the FRCN boss, directing him to suspend the implementation of the controversial regulation, but the man refused.

According to Punch, Obazee defied the instruction of the minister, insisting that the implementation of the regulation would go ahead.

Findings showed that Obazee said the implementation of the regulation could not be suspended because there was no gazette that indicated that it had been amended or suspended.

It was gathered that though the minister’s letter to the FRCN boss was written on October 17, 2016, the council had insisted on the resignation of heads of other affected groups.

The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, had, on Saturday, announced Pastor Joseph Obayemi, as the new leader of the church in Nigeria.

The daddy G. O. made the announcement at the church’s annual ministers’ thanksgiving held at the Redemption Camp.

He cited a government regulation, which stipulates mandatory office tenure for general overseers of all registered churches, as the reason for the restructuring.

A source in the Ministry, who confided in The Punch, confirmed that the minister had written the Executive Secretary of the FRCN, directing him not to execute the regulation.

He stated, “There is an issue with the new code of corporate governance and the minister wrote the Financial Reporting Council and told the council not to execute it because a lot of people from the private sector have complained about it.

“So the minister wanted to look into it and see what the issues were. He (FRC boss) was asked not to go ahead with executing it. There is a controversy on that FRC issue and we are now looking into the matter to know what the issues are before we can finally take a decision. This is where the matter is currently.”

But a source in the FRCN, who spoke on Sunday on condition of anonymity, said the organisation would not heed the directive of the minister on the code.