The ongoing civil war which has pitted the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) against several of its most influential members has further escalated in recent days. The aggrieved group of concerned elders, in their determination to get the recent election overturned at all costs, recently filed three fresh suits in court in addition to the main case.

The elders who have vowed to continue the legal battle come hell or high water first filed an application seeking to join one Mrs Abimbola Bode-Thomas as a plaintiff to the suit and further asked that Reverend Adebola Ayodeji Ojoifetimi be joined as a defendant so that he can be bound by the decision of the court. Reverend Adebola is provost of the Lagos diocese of the Anglican communion.

With the second suit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to enforce a stay of execution on the enthronement of Reverend Humphrey Olumakaye as the new bishop of Lagos diocese pending the conclusion of hearing and determination of the suit.

Finally, the plaintiffs had frowned on the choice of Justice Mojisola Olatoregun as the presiding judge on grounds that she is a devout member of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). The respondents, agreeing on the matter, thereafter wrote Justice Mojisola a letter asking her to recuse herself from the case.

Hence, during the last hearing Justice Olatoregun while adjourning the case to June 21 also transferred the case files to Justice Rilwan Aikawa who is her colleague in the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court. The case had originally been assigned to Justice Chuka Obiozor before being transferred to Justice Olatoregun.

Recall that ten aggrieved elders of the church had dragged the trustees of the board of the church and five others before the federal high court alleging malpractice in the recent election to install a new bishop for the diocese.

They are praying the court to declare the election that saw Reverend Humphrey Olumakaye emerge as the new bishop to be null and void and of no effect and hence order a fresh election to be held. They also want the court to order the immediate past bishop Reverend Adebola Ademowo to refund ₦260 million he allegedly obtained from the diocese for his personal use.

The plaintiffs who hold prominent status and power within the church also double as movers and shakers of high society. They are Asiwaju Fola Osibo, Mr Modupe Alakija, Chief Dr Oluyomi Finnih, Chief Femi Adeniyi-William, Chief Layi Ajayi -Bembe, Mrs Laide Sasegbon, Mrs Modupe Sagoe, Mr Ade Abisogun, Mr Bukola Meadows, and MS Molara Otuyelu