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The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Rev. Chidi Okoroafor, has urged Nigerians to pray for God’s intervention toward the nation’s quick recovery from current recession.

Okoroafor told newsmen in Umuahia, Abia, on Sunday that resort to God had become necessary because policies and programmes so far initiated by the Federal Government to tackle the downturn had not yielded expected result.

He said that the church was planning a special nationwide prayer to seek the face of God in the collective efforts to bring the recession to an end.

“It is obvious that all the solutions and policies enunciated by our economists and scientists have done little or nothing to bring the country out of our economic downturn.

“It is time therefore for us as Nigerians to call on God to come and heal our land and make us prosperous again,” he said.

The general superintendent spoke on the efforts by the church to bring lasting solution to its leadership tussle, saying that the process was ongoing.

According to him, following Supreme Court judgment, which pronounced me the authentic general superintendent of the church, the Executive Council resolved to extend `the olive branch’ to the former general superintendent, Paul Emeka, and his supporters.

He said that the measure was meant to provide opportunity to the former leader and his supporters to return to the fold.

“The measure is part of the peace process aimed at re-uniting the church as one body,” Okoroafor said.

He said that at the expiration of the March 31 deadline given to the estranged members to return, the council met and resolved to extend the period to April 30.

He said, “the church is not interested in victimising anybody rather it is ready to receive back anyone willing to return because we are all brethren.

“We are one church. People should return and let’s build the church; it is one church.

“Those who fought the church either by mistake or whatever should return and let’s unite and forge ahead.

“In Assemblies of God, somebody could be suspended in the morning service and restored during evening service depending on his response and show of remorse.”

Okoroafor, was however, not forthcoming on what the church would do should Emeka and his group fail to return during the grace period, saying “when we get to the river we will cross the bridge”.

He expressed the hope that the church would regain its unity under its current leadership.

He explained that there was no personal issues between him and his former boss, saying that he decided to fill in the gap as Emeka’s assistant when he ( Emeka) flouted the church’s constitution.

“Assemblies of God is not a one-man show or president, founder church. Since 1934 when it started in Nigeria it has survived several general superintendents.

“The church is democratic and does not confer absolute power on its general superintendent to avoid the abuse of such power.

“The bible and of course the church’s constitution forbid any believer from taking a fellow believer to court.

“Unfortunately, when Emeka had issues with the church over his administrative style, which flouted the constitution of the church, he decided to take the church to court.”

He said that the church suspended him when all entreaties to him to retrace his steps failed.

Okoroafor urged the members of the church across the country not to allow the experience to dampen their faith but to remain steadfast and contribute their quota in rebuilding the church.

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