Senator Dino Melaye has said that he did not attend this year’s Shiloh, an annual programme at Living Faith Church Worldwide headquarters in Ota, Ogun State, because Bishop David Abioye was not present.
Abioye was the church’s first vice president until his retirement at age 63 in October. The church’s constitution known as The Mandate stipulates that the church’s pastors must retire at 60 except the founder David Oyedepo.
Abioye’s absence at Shiloh 2024 came as a surprise to many. At his farewell service on October 18, he pledged loyalty to Oyedepo.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Melaye blamed Oyedepo for Abioye’s retirement, saying he could not understand why Abioye who is younger than the 70-year-old Oyedepo should be retired.
“I did not attend Shiloh 2024. Because Shiloh without Bishop Abioye is somehow,” the former Kogi West lawmaker wrote. “I can’t understand why Bishop Oyedepo, who is older, is not retired, and it is Bishop Abioye who is younger that should be forcefully retired. God did not retire Abioye, only Oyedepo did. Let’s watch.”
Social media users commented on his post, asking him to leave the church alone and “mind your business”.
