The United Methodist Church (UMC) in Nigeria has refuted allegations of endorsing same-sex marriage.
In a statement issued on Wednesday ahead of the election of a new bishop for the Nigeria Episcopal Area, the church’s dean Rev. Eli Yakku dismissed claims by former Bishop John Wesley Yohanna as “baseless and misleading.”
Yakku emphasised, “There is no evidence of any church in Nigeria conducting same-sex marriages.”
The election, scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana from December 5 to 8, 2024, follows the resignation of Yohanna earlier this year. Yohanna reportedly left the UMC ministry to join the Global Methodist Church (GMC).
Addressing the situation, Yakku stressed the importance of unity and adherence to church constitutional processes, stating, “We are not against anyone choosing to leave for the GMC, but we must ensure that all actions are lawful and respectful of the church’s established guidelines.”
