The Global Methodist Church has moved to challenge a Nigerian court decision in an ongoing legal dispute with the United Methodist Church over registration status and control of church resources.
At a press conference held Tuesday at McBride Global Methodist Church, Bishop John Pena Auta announced that the denomination had filed an appeal with Nigeria’s Court of Appeal in Abuja and requested an injunction to halt enforcement of the lower court’s ruling.
Auta said, “We read the judgment of the Court and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the rule of law and due process,” adding, “As a law-abiding body, we respect the judicial process and remain confident in the justice system.”
He also stated that the GMC remains “fully within its legal rights to continue its activities and use of its properties,” urging members to “remain calm, prayerful, and steadfast during this period.”
Calling for restraint, he added, “We strongly advise all members and supporters to remain law-abiding and refrain from any form of confrontation or actions that may disrupt public peace or bring the name of the Church into disrepute.”
He continued, “The leadership is committed to pursuing all lawful means to seek redress and justice. We urge everyone to stay peaceful, focused, and trusting in God as we navigate this process.”
The legal dispute follows a ruling issued last month by High Court Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission to reverse a decision that had renamed the United Methodist Church in Nigeria as the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria.
In the same ruling, Egwuatu directed Zenith Bank to restore control of denominational accounts to the UMC and emphasized that church members must adhere to established denominational rules on affiliation, which the court does not have authority to override.
For years, the United Methodist Church has faced internal conflict over issues such as same-sex marriage and the ordination of noncelibate homosexual clergy, disputes that ultimately led to significant division within the denomination.
While attempts to revise the church’s governing rules had repeatedly failed, disagreements over enforcement contributed to the departure of thousands of predominantly conservative congregations by 2023.
At the 2024 General Conference, delegates voted to remove the contested language, a decision that prompted many African churches and leaders within the UMC to reconsider their affiliation.
In Nigeria, not only are same-sex marriage and homosexuality illegal, but the national government also prohibits citizens from being active in LGBT advocacy organizations.
In July 2024, Bishop John Wesley Yohanna claimed that a specially convened session had approved a move to leave the UMC and align with the GMC. However, other Nigerian UMC leaders disputed that assertion, maintaining that only a minority faction had supported the departure.
Tensions over control of church property and identity have also contributed to periodic violence in the region, including clashes at Banyam Theological Seminary in February of last year.
