The clergy and laity of the diocese refused to accept the bishop Pope Benedict XVI had appointed in 2012 as their ordinary, Peter Ebere Okpaleke, because he was not of the Mbaise ethnic group or chosen from among the local priests.

On 3 July 2013, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, as Apostolic Administrator.

[7] On 22 July 2017, Pope Francis agreed to respond through emissaries to the individual priests protesting Okpaleke's appointment.

[8] On 14 February 2018, Okpaleke submitted his resignation to Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, and Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.

He wrote: "I do not think that my apostolate in a diocese where a group of priests and lay faithful are very ill disposed to have me in their midst would be effective.