More troubles appear to be staring the controversial Catholic Priest and Founder of Adoration Ministry, Enugu Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka, in the face following his statement urging Nigerians to reject President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and vote for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd ) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 14 presidential election.
Speaking in an interview, the Catholic Bishop of Abuja Metropolitan See, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, said given the rules of the church, Fr. Mbaka ought to be sanctioned. This came as Onaiyekan cautioned the PDP and opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC) to desist from campaigns of calumny.
He stated that prophecies of doom ahead of 2015 elections notwithstanding, “PDP and APC have no right to disorganise Nigeria.”
Onaiyekan, commenting on Fr Mbaka, said the priest went overboard in his statement insinuating that President Jonathan’s administration has been plagued with ‘bad luck’ and poor performance.
Onaiyekan distanced the Catholic Church from Mbaka’s statement, stating that, “Mbaka will take responsibilities for his own actions. I do not believe in my mind that the way things are in Nigeria, any Catholic priest has the mandate to decide which of the political contestants should be voted for. What most of us will do is to tell people to vote according to their conscience and then, we tell the authorities to allow people to vote freely and fairly.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if most people are not happy with the statement he made. From my reactions, you should see that I do not agree with him. I don’t believe a priest should be doing that.
“But, like I said, Mbaka is a priest of his own type. If he was in my archdioceses, I will have sanctioned him long ago for the kind of things and utterances that he makes. But, he is not under my diocese; he has a Bishop to handle that if there is any need,” the Cardinal observed.
Onaiyekan, rather maintained that Mbaka had earlier made insinuations that President Jonathan’s wife, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, will continue in office.
“I hope that people are not thinking that we are sending Mbaka to talk rubbish, how can they think that? If you want to hear anything even not official but at least, authoritative, then, you listen to the bishops. Rather than him and I don’t see any bishop talking that way.”
Source: CKN Nigeria
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