By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Archbishop of the Province of the Niger and Anglican Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim, has approached the Anambra State High Court to stop the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Henry C. Ndukuba, and the church’s Dean, Most Reverend Blessing Enyindah, from suspending, removing, retiring or dismissing him from office.
The court action comes amid reports that the Primate had suspended the Awka diocesan bishop, following an ongoing investigations into some allegations rocking his leadership of the diocese.
Reacting to the development, Ibezim filed a lawsuit , seeking an interlocutory injunction against the two senior church leaders, insisting that any disciplinary action against him must follow the procedures established by the constitution and canons of the Anglican Church in Nigeria.
In the suit, the Archbishop is challenging both the disciplinary process allegedly being pursued against him and the composition of a visitation team established to investigate developments within the Diocese of Awka.
Court documents sighted by this reporter, Izunna Okafor, show that the case, with suit number A/371/2026, was instituted at the Awka Judicial Division of the Anambra State High Court through his lead counsel, B.E.I. Nwofor (SAN).
The originating summons, dated October 13, 2026, asks the court to determine the provisions governing disciplinary proceedings against a serving bishop in the Church of Nigeria.
Specifically, Ibezim wants the court to affirm that sections 55, 75(1)(2)(3)(4)(5) and 76(1)(2)(3)(4)(5), alongside Canon XVI, sections 22, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Church of Nigeria’s Constitution and Canons, prescribe the procedures that must be followed in disciplining a bishop.
As part of the reliefs sought, he is asking the court to restrain the defendants from taking any step towards ending his tenure in his ecclesiastical offices while the substantive case remains pending.
The application specifically seeks “An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants… from writing, signing, and issuing/serving/delivering any letter of suspension, or removal, retirement or dismissal from his office as Archbishop of the Province of the Niger and Bishop of the Diocese of Awka… pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
Beyond seeking protection against possible suspension or removal, Ibezim is also asking the court to stop the Primate and the Dean from issuing further threats concerning his position or intervening in the administration of the Awka Diocese without his written consent.
In another relief, he wants the defendants restrained from “further threatening to suspend, remove or retire the plaintiff from his offices… and from interfering in the affairs of the Diocese of Awka (Anglican Communion) for any purpose whatsoever without the prior consent in writing of the plaintiff.”
The Archbishop has also questioned the legitimacy of the visitation team established to examine matters within the diocese, describing its formation as contrary to the church’s governing provisions.
In the court documents, he characterised the team as “illegally constituted by the 1st Defendant vide letter dated 17/6/2026.”
The disputed team is chaired by Enyindah, who serves as Dean of the Church of Nigeria and is named alongside Ndukuba as a defendant in the proceedings.
The motion was brought pursuant to Order 39 Rules 1(1), 2(2), 8 and Order 40 Rules 1(1)(2), 3(1), 8 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019, as well as Section 6(6)(A) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The court registry in Awka stamped the documents on October 13, 2026, marking the formal filing of the application as the dispute over the disciplinary process and the administration of the Awka Diocese moves before the court.
The outcome of the proceedings could determine whether the church leaders may proceed with the threatened disciplinary measures while the substantive suit is being heard, as well as the legal questions surrounding the disputed visitation team.
The allegations concerning the sale of church land and the legality of the disciplinary process remain matters requiring due consideration, with the court yet to determine the reliefs sought by Ibezim.
