The United Methodist Church Episcopal Area in Nigeria (UMCN) has threatened to leave the Church’s global body if it endorses same-sex marriage at its 2022 General Conference.

An official, Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna, spoke at a news conference on Wednesday in Jalingo, Taraba State.

The cleric reiterated the Nigerian chapter’s opposition to the ordination of gay people.

Yohanna recalled that the debate on whether the Church should accept homosexuality started in 1972.

The votes cast in 2019, he noted, favoured traditionalists who insisted homosexuality was incompatible with Christian teachings.

“If the plan succeeds conference, we will not be part of UMC that will change the language of the Book of Discipline to accommodate same-sex marriage.

“Our loyalty is with Jesus Christ”, the Bishop added.

Yohanna said the Nigerian chapter believes in traditional and evangelical Bible teachings as well as African values and ethics.