The election of Rev Toyin Kehinde as the new chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has ruffled the feathers within the PFN Family.
Rev Kehinde’s election has divided members of the body. While many have accepted the new chairman, others have called for the cancellation of the election that threw up the new chairman.
The crisis within the PFN started when a letter emerged from the National President of PFN, Bishop Wale Oke, that the election had been annulled, and a new election had been slated for June 30.
According to a letter, signed by the National Secretary of PFN, Cosmas Ilechukwu, which was made available to The Nation, the PFN disclosed that “after prayerful consideration of the election, and the circumstances surrounding it, the National President has decided to withhold assent to the outcome of the election.”
The PFN explained that it arrived at the decision because “the election was hastily conducted without adequate sensitization of members and proper Preparation, it added that two of the four candidates that reportedly contested the election have vehemently denied being present or participated in the election.
He said “So many people within the Lagos PFN have severally complained about the way and manner the election was conducted. The fact that only eight members of the State Adversary Council (SAC) voted in the election in a state as big as Lagos leaves a sour taste in the mouth.”
Going forward, Ilechukwu said that the president has therefore decided as follows: “The February 5 election of new executive officers of the Lagos State Chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) is hereby canceled.
“The State Advisory Council for Lagos State will be expanded to 25 members carefully drawn to fully represent the diverse interests that constitute the membership of the fellowship in the State.”
He posited that the reconstituted and expanded SAC would conduct a new election within the next two months ending ‘on the 30th of June 2024. The extant executive will continue in office until the new election is concluded.
The National President has therefore appointed a committee of senior leaders led by Bishop Emmah lsong, the National Publicity Secretary, to oversee the election which will be conducted by the new SAC.
The background to the crisis.
Two years ago, Apostle Enyinnaya Okwuonu became the Chairman of the PFN in Lagos following the unfortunate demise of the late PFN Chairman, Bishop Sola Ore, two years into his second tenure.
As the Vice Chairman, he completed Bishop Ore’s tenure which lapsed in 2022.
As the constitution of PFN states, “After the expiration of a Chairman in any state, the National body of the fellowship will set in motion the process of the election. The State Advisory Council (SAC) of PFN will conduct an election. At least 60% of members that make up the SAC must be present to participate in the election. After an election has been held, the newly elected chairman and other executive’s names will be presented to the National President who approves or disapproves the outcome of the election. It is not like the general elections done in politics.
Unfortunately, the delay in the election of a new Chairman in Lagos lingered for almost two years because the national body of PFN did not set in motion the process of the election of a new Chairman Bishop. Apostle Okwuonu was then directed to act as Chairman. The delay later became loud as uncertainties loomed within the PFN family in Lagos.
Last year, a group with the name Pentecostal Association of Nigeria and Diaspora (PAND), led by one Apostle James Jesulere, in a publication on June 26, made sundry allegations against the Lagos State Chairman of PFN. They accused the chairman of tenure elongation, financial impropriety, biases, as well as ethnic and tribal bigotry.
Okwuonu debunked the allegations and stated that the allegations were an ‘attempt to drag the fellowship into the dark and murky waters of ethnicity and bigotry.
The controversy
After so much pressure from the National body of the PFN, an inside source with the PFN stated that in January 2024, there was a directive for an election to be conducted as soon as possible. The source noted that a demand for an official letter to kick-start the process was provided.
However, before the election, a top Bishop in Lagos was allegedly rooting for a candidate and mounting pressure for such a candidate to be announced by fiat as the Lagos State Chairman of PFN which would be unconstitutional and might even worsen the state of things in Lagos State.
After a convenient date and time were set, Monday, 5th of February 2024 was announced as the date of the election. The election was held with the Lagos State Advisory Council (SAC) of PFN, who formed the electorate and were on the ground to vote. Nine out of eleven members of the working committee which is 81.8% of the electorate were present to participate in the election. This figure is at variance with the figure of 14 members stated by the National President in his letter. The National Administrative Secretary of PFN was also present as an observer. The election was held and the Senior Pastor at Agape Generation International Church, Rev. Dr. Toyin Kehinde, emerged as the new state chairman with an overwhelming majority. Rev Kehinde is the current Secretary of the South West Chapter of PFN.
The problem started when an online report came out after the election that four candidates contested for the chairmanship position of PFN in Lagos State. They are the Senior Pastor at Agape Generation International Church, Rev. Dr. Toyin Kehinde, The Senior Pastor, of Foundation of Truth Assembly, Rev. Yomi Kasali, Pastor Femi Paul, and the incumbent Chairman, Apostle Eyinnaya Okwuonu.
In response to the online report, one of the alleged contestants, Rev Kasali publicly denied participation in the PFN Lagos State Chairmanship Election, correcting an online publication that wrongly listed him as a candidate.
He said “I never participated in the just concluded PFN election as reported by some online publications. This is a response to an online publication about the just concluded PFN election for Lagos State.
“The online publication said I participated in that election that took place on Monday, February 5th. This news conference is just to state the fact that I did not participate in that election as the online publication stated that my name was on the ballot,” he said.
Kasali, who said that his name which was on the ballot could either be an error or mischievously added that he chose the latter because of what transpired on January 29.
“Before the election, I got a call from the Southwest Vice President of PFN, His Grace, Archbishop John Osa-Oni.
“He asked me if I was available to attend the PFN meeting scheduled for February 5. I asked him what for. He said it was an election that my name had been nominated to be the chairman of Lagos state PFN and he would like me to come and participate in an election process.
“My response after I thought about it was that I was not interested, hence, I declined,” he said.
He stated further: “The reason why I declined was because it was an election. I did not decline to serve the body of Christ. I declined because of the process. This was how everything went until when the election was held. Why was my name on the ballot?
“I called Rev Toyin Kehinde to congratulate him, but he didn’t pick up. We thereafter exchanged text messages on the same”.
Rev Kasali has publicly congratulated the new Chairman and prayed for his success.
Then, what happened with the new directive from the National President annulling the election is a puzzle to be unraveled. The questions are who is interested in Lagos PFN? What kind of chairman do they want?
Meanwhile, the CAN Chairman, the Lagos State Chapter, who also doubles as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Bishop STV Adegbite, has described the purported annulment as unacceptable and an attempt to use the church for politics.
In his response, “And anybody thinking that they can use the church for politics will be vehemently rejected. Nobody can take Lagos from us. We’ll not accept that the election that was conducted and a winner emerged is canceled. It’s not acceptable to us in Lagos.
“The election has been held in Lagos, and Rev. Dr. Toyin Kehinde has emerged. The Christian community in Lagos is saying no to another election. That’s manipulation, and we are not going to accept it, ” he fumed.
Way forward
The letter by the National President of PFN stated that the new date for the new election is June 30 with an expanded SAC, and will be conducted by the National Publicity Secretary of the Fellowship, Bishop Emmah lsong.
Preferring the way forward, some clerics within the PFN family in Lagos have voiced their concerns
Speaking, the Presiding Archbishop of Calvary Kingdom Church (CKC), Lagos Joseph Ojo, said. “We are trying to come to the same page; that is what the leaders are trying to do, we want to forge ahead. We don’t want to do anything or say anything that will jeopardize or worsen the situation.
“I am sure after the troubling waters; everything will settle down. We will be able to have a clear view of everything.”
According to him, the national president’s position should be followed to the letter to avert any unforeseen crisis. “I believe we have a president; the stand of the president is what we should abide by – everything will be okay.
“The president has said everything should be on hold until there is a holistic view of it,” Ojo said, confirming a possible annulment of the election.
On the allegation that Toyin Kehinde has attended three state functions in the last six weeks in the capacity of the state chairman without any former inauguration or unveiling by the Fellowship, Ojo said, “To me, nobody should unilaterally stop him, and he should also be wise enough to allow everything settle down; so that there will be no complication.”
Another member of the Fellowship also added his voice to the issue, saying that it is sad that Lagos with vibrant men of God with so much influence across Nigeria and beyond will be washing its dirty linen in public.
According to him, the Lagos State chapter of the PFN is supposed to be a vibrant voice within the Fellowship but in the recent past, the chapter is losing out in terms of matters within the PFN. “In most states, PFN chairmen are ministers of God who have respect and influence within and outside the church. They are men of influence within the church and in community work.
“They have real influence and can stand before anybody. They already have a name. They can stand before governors and presidents without any strings attached. Many of those who make up the executives in Lagos do not have influence, they tried to use PFN to market their names,” said.
He advised that the national president of PFN should look for a respected someone who has influence, who is not hungry or looking for contact with people.
“That person should be a Yoruba man because of ethnicity. I am not rooting for an ethnic job but when people are emotional about things, you will try to pacify them.”
According to him, an interim chairman who is Yoruba can be appointed, while the appointed caretaker committee chairman should also be a Yoruba man but not necessarily from Lagos to bring balance and neutrality to play.
“This should be done with a clear understanding with the CAN chairman in Lagos, Bishop Stephen Adegbite so we don’t wash our dirty linen in public. Rev Kehinde should step aside as the election that brought him in was controversial, divisive, and already faulty.”
