Aformer pastor with the Omega Fire Ministries International, Mike Davids, has filed a suit against the General Overseer of the church, Apostle Johnson Suleman, and the church for N2billion, for allegedly meddling in his marriage, which he described as unlawful.
Davids had last week accused Apostle Suleman of hypnotising and committing adultery with his wife, Pastor Faith Edeko, who now supervises the Utako, Abuja branch of the church.
Alleging threat to life, Davids had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who had in turn ordered an investigation into the matter.
On Thursday, however, Davids filed an action in Pet/041/2021 before the court, accusing Apostle Suleman of destroying his home and preventing him from seeing his three children.
In the petition for a decree of restitution of conjugal rights, the petitioner specified that he married his wife pursuant to Section 24 of the Marriage Act at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Ekpoma, on December 6, 2008, by virtue of which only a High Court can annul.
Among other reliefs, Davids is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restricting Apostle Suleman, the church and their agents from having access or relating with his wife and three children.
He is also seeking “an award of punitive and exemplary damages in the sum of N2billion against the defendant for unlawful interference with the claimant’s contract of marriage and the cost of N2 million being the cost of prosecuting this action before this honourable court.”
Meanwhile, both Apostle Suleman and Pastor Edeko have denied Davids’ allegations.
According to the petition Davids had written, dated December 30, 2020, the aggrieved pastor said he met General Overseer in 2003 while he was in school.
He said they became very close and he was eventually ordained a pastor of Omega Fire Ministries on June 9, 2006 by Apostle Suleman and served the church for over 15 years before his exit in 2019.
He attached his pastoral certificate with licence number 125 to the petition.
Also in a three videos posted on Instagram, the aggrieved pastor said he began a relationship with his wife in secondary school and they courted for about 11 years before marriage.
He said, “My wife was a staffer with NTA Iruekpen, so Apostle Suleman reached out to her that they will need her to build Celebration TV and Rhema for Living. She would have to shuttle between Osun State and Auchi.
“She came back from Auchi to Osun State and said she wanted to talk to me that her conscience was pricking her. I asked what was it and she said that while in Auchi, Apostle Suleman lodged her at Uyi Grand Hotel and he came there and slept with her.
“And the moment she said that, the first thing that came to my mind was my daughter. I asked where was Michelle when this happened and she said Michelle was on the bed, pushed aside and I asked, ‘You mean you slept with a man with my daughter on the bed?’. I had to let it go because there was nobody I could tell and I couldn’t fight with Apostle Suleman… I forgave her but the amorous relationship continued. One thing I know is that my wife was hypnotised. This is not the woman I got married to, who I knew for 11 years.”