Rector petitions Church over unlawful termination of appointment

Uchenna Ugorie, a clergy and embattled rector, Methodist Theological Institute, Umuahia, Abia State, has petitioned Methodist Church of Nigeria, for terminating his appointment while his tenure has not elapsed.

The petition, written on his behalf by Nwabunma Law Office, his solicitors and signed by Obike Onyemere, principal partner and addressed t to the Church through Babatunde Abiodun Taiwo, secretary of conference, MCN, stated that the embattled rector’s tenure of five years was yet to elapse, while his appointment was terminated without any reason.

“The Very Reverend Dr Uchenna Ugorie, our client herein was on the 22nd day of May, 2020, appointed as the Rector of the Methodist Theological Institute, Umuahia for a single term of 5 years. It is to be noted that the said appointment of our client, which has a statutory flavor, seems to be subsisting having not served out his 5 years term/tenure period.

We equally have it on good ground that as at last time we checked, our client, the Very Reverend Dr Uchenna Ugorie has not breached any of the terms of his appointment,” the petition stated.

The petitioner further said that it was disheartening that on 20th of June, through a letter reportedly authored by Babatunde Abiodun Taiwo, secretary of council, ordered the petitioner to proceed on compulsory leave from his office as the rector of the college.

“On the strength of the letter, he was directed to hand over to a junior officer and equally vacate his official quarters. The above actions were taken by our client without due regard to the procedure for the discipline of ministers,” it further said.

The petitioner noted that there was no official complaint made against him, neither was he queried for any wrong doing nor given hearing before the actions were taken.

“Our understanding is that the panel set up by the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria was a Kangaroo Panel, which aimed to cover up the wrongs already committed by the Church against our client.

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“This was a bizarre action not expected of Adegbemi Adewale, the chairman of the so-called panel of inquiry who is a lawyer called to Nigerian Bar. It was obvious during the sitting of the panel from 30-7-2024 to 31-7-2024 that the panel was set up to act the script written by the chairman of the council Rt. Rev S. O. Eze, this was unwittingly exposed by the chairman of the so-called panel of inquiry who was the classmate of the chairman of the council when he accused our client of insubordination to the chairman of council,” it further said.

The counsels to Ugorie noted that at the end of sitting of the Kangaroo Panel of inquiry, instead of publishing its report; which it has not done till date, the Church embarked on the assassination of their client’s character the Church, through the Arch Diocese of Ibadan published the 2024 highlights of the Conference from 4th to 11th August, 2024 at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State thus: “The Very Rev Dr Uchenna Ugorie, Rector of MTI, Umuahia was found guilty of financial and managerial incompetence, without particulars/details. He was then transferred out of the institute. However, the conference upheld the investigation committee’s recommendation that his salaries be paid to him in full and that he should be given befitting send forth.

“But the lay public that read about it in the social media had gone with impression that our client is a thief, the aim of the Church for making viral the said evil publication about our client in the social media was to make the lay public to see our client as a thief thus, satisfying the writers of the script acted by the Kangaroo Panel of inquiry,” the petitioner noted.

The counsels to Ugorie said that he has been damnified and therefore demand he be restored to his position as Rector of MTI, Umuahia to complete his term of 5 years.

That the Church should take steps to clear his name, which has been smeared by the ill-conceived, Kangaroo Panel of inquiry and the wicked and unkind publication aimed at destroying his good character, which had over the years been established.

The solicitors of Ugorie gave the Church 30 days within which to meet the above demands, failure of which they would without further notice activate legal process to redeem the battered image of their client.

S. O. Eze, a Right Reverend, and chairman of Council of MTI, Umuahia, when contacted through telephone for comment, said that he would not say anything with the press on the matter, rather he referred our correspondent to the Methodist Church for any clarification.

Eze said that he had no personal problem with Ugorie to warrant his commenting on such matter.