The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has taken a legal action against the federal government in a suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja, questioning the legality of the just gazetted controversial Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA).
CAN in a statement on Monday by its General Secretary, Joseph Bade Daramola, said that the Christian community is not comfortable with the law.
The suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/244/2021 involves the Incorporated Trustees of Christian Association of Nigeria, against the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
The statement indicated that the Counsels to the CAN include Prof J. Amupitan SAN, Wale Adesokan SAN, Isaac Okpanachi, Comfort Otera Chigbue, Godswill Iyoke, Dr Cyril Obika, Geraldine Mbah, Francis Oronsaye, Oluniyi Adediji.
Others are Charles Ndukwe, Emmanuel Ekong, Darlington Onyekwere, Madu Joe-Kyari Gadzama, Lama Joe-Kyari Gadzama, Rev Fr. Joseph Ilorah, Jerry Onbugadu Musa, and Amazing Ikpala.
Counsels to the plaintiff were led by Joe-Kyari Gadzama when the case was mentioned at the Abuja High Court Monday.
CAN explained that it decided to proceed to court after “all attempts to convince the federal government why it should not intervene or interfere with the management of the Church in the country through any of its agencies failed.”
CAN leaders present at the hearing of the suit in the court include the “General Secretary, Joseph Bade Daramola, Esq., Elder Kunle Fagbemi, Senator Philip Gyunka, Elder Tunde Adegbesan, Rev Dr Testimony Onifade, the Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Comfort Otera Chigbue, Esq., and Senator Jonathan Zwingina.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had on August 7, 2020 signed the Companies and Allied Matters Bill, 2020 into law.
The CAMA law repealed and replaced the extant Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990, which lasted 30 years. The emergent law generated controversies from the Christian community and civil society.