Governor Peter Obi of Anambra
State has urged Roman Catholics in
the state to sustain the grip of their
control on the politics of the state by
ensuring that the next governor of
the state remained a Catholic.
Speaking on Friday on behalf of the
governor at the inauguration of the
Widows and Less Privileged
Members Foundation at the Holy
Trinity Basilica, Onitsha, the
Commissioner for Works, Mr.
Callistus Ilozumba, said Roman
Catholics must use the November
16 governorship election in the state
to make a point that the church had
come to be relevant in the politics of
the state.
He recalled that the late Catholic
Archbishop of Onitsha, the Most
Rev. Albert Obiefuna, had
championed the involvement of
knights of the church to take charge
of the politics of the state, saying
that the effort paid off when Obi
was elected governor in 2003.
He said the first beneficiary of that
effort would have been Prof.
Alphonsus Nwosu, who was
dropped as the governorship
candidate of the Peoples Democratic
Party for Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju in
1998.
He said that it was after that the late
archbishop advised on the need to
have an alternative platform, and
that came with the formation of
APGA.
He said it was not an accident that
the first national chairman of the
party, Chief Chekwas Okorie, Obi,
the current national chairman, Chief
Victor Umeh, and others are
Catholics.
Ilozumba recalled that when Obi
joined the race in 2003, both Knights
of St. John, St. Mulumba and the
Laity Council teamed up to support
him in the election which he won.
He reminded knights of St. John
International that they had the
capacity to change the situation in
the state as predicted by Obiefuna.

www.punchng.com/news/anambra-obi-campaigns-for-catholic-governor/

Now dere s no Xtian Muslim dichotomy to use, so its catholic protestant dichotomy!

Obi,you must be very stupid. What has ones denomination got to do with anambra gubernatorial election again?

What if it's an anglican that will change anambra for good?
What if it's a methodist or someone from another denomination that will change the new face of anambra for the betterment of the masses?

This is what I hate about we igbos,segregation......and even the so called catholics won't vote for anybody not from catholic

And I pray that APGA will lose this election....AMEN!

Is no doubt peter obi want to inject enemity and segregation in anambra state....Ngige all d way

I'm not surprised at this.Anybody that has been following Anambra politics since Obi's tenure would Know that this man's government is biased in favour of Catholics.Shame to you, Obi.

Punch newspaper Sorry, I don't believe anything from that bigoted media outlet. Their mission to cause disharmony amongst Ndianambra is dead on arrival. We know their antecedents and ploys and don't be surprised to hear a rebuttal from the said commissioner.

Stu.pidity taken too far.
Politicians adopt all sort if underhand methods to achieve their aims,how on earth would a right thinking governor throw religion jibe in order to make his man the governor

Obi is a known chronic divide and rule politician, it has dawn on him that his stooge will not win next week election, he now shamelessly resort to denomination jibe. Anyway it seems he has ran out of propaganda to use against his opponent, he want to fall back to this shameful ploy. Shame on you Obi, you wasted 8yrs doing nothing, thats why you are now running from pillar to post looking for degrading trick you will pull to install your puppet. But you have failed. Obi's time is up, Obi(ano) must go!!!

I don't blame the desperate drowning Obi. I will blame anyone who allows himself †̥☺ be deceived by this satanic trap/trash!
See, good governance has nothing †̥☺ do with religion. In nigeria, we have had a Rev Gov who looted his state blind (Rev Jolly Iyameh)
Some Nations that are developed today are not as religious as we Nigerians

Quite a stupid report.Are all the major candidates in this election and the one before not all Catholics?.What's Punch trying to say here,if indeed the report is true?.

Here we go again. Can't this people focus on what matters instead of trying to divide us?

warrior01: Punch newspaper Sorry, I don't believe anything from that bigoted media outlet. Their mission to cause disharmony amongst Ndianambra is dead on arrival. We know their antecedents and ploys and don't be surprised to hear a rebuttal from the said commissioner.

Mr. Man, your comment shows clearly that you are not from Anambra because if you are, this will be no news to you. Peter Obi has continued to play politics of religion in the state but this time, he will fail woefully

Why is that most nairalanders are very gullible? They believe anything that is posted here hook,line and sinker or is that most people that comment are just dumb people? The same punch newspaper said that Governor Chime is dead!!! And even went on to claim they are right, now they want to come back to relevance by potrying Obi as bad! Why is only bad and false news that they report about SE? It really says a lot about that news company!

gleaf: Why is that most nairalanders are very gullible? They believe anything that is posted here hook,line and sinker or is that most people that comment are just dumb people? The same punch newspaper said that Governor Chime is dead!!! And even went on to claim they are right, now they want to come back to relevance by potrying Obi as bad! Why is only bad and false news that they report about SE? It really says a lot about that news company!

why I agree with you on punch liepapers but Peter obi is already bad and does not need to be portrayed as such when he is. Everybody knows he is a Catholic bigot like one chukwudi on nairaland

As for me and my household we ll not vote Obiano because we are Catholics but a diffrent Catholic from Peter Obi.

lovat: As for me and my household we ll not vote Obiano because we are Catholics but a diffrent Catholic from Peter Obi.

This is the kind of reactions he is likely to get

FreeGlobe:
why I agree with you on punch liepapers but Peter obi is already bad and does not need to be portrayed as such when he is. Everybody knows he is a Catholic bigot like one chukwudi on nairaland

Oloribruku ode!! Is Ngige not a catholic? But I have rejected him and will even prefer an anglican like ifeanyi uba to him

wazoboy: Now dere s no Xtian Muslim dichotomy to use, so its catholic protestant dichotomy!

My brother follow me see o, and this is how "we must divide" will work in the new Biafra, now one need to not to ask who has being the pioneer of segregational, Regional, Tribal or Religious dichotomy politics in Nigeria because its too obvious and glaring before all of us as we can see. Who is marginalising who now to bring about this evil dichotomy? Maybe the Protestants against the Catholics. Greed, cunning, hypocrisy, sycophants, all these you can find in this region of the Country, yet they will forever cry foul of being marginalised.

That anambra is a predominantly catholic state is an incontrovertible fact.almost all the major candidates are catholics so this news report is no big deal since we still have to vote for catholics irrespective of the party

What will Peter Adaobi say about a Muslim governorship candidate?

simpleseyi: What will Peter Adaobi say about a Muslim governorship candidate?

Hang him

[b][/b]

FreeGlobe:
why I agree with you on punch liepapers but Peter obi is already bad and does not need to be portrayed as such when he is. Everybody knows he is a Catholic bigot like one chukwudi on nairaland

I am still waiting for the day you will constructively analyse how Bad Obi is, cos as far as am concerned comparing Ngige and Obi , Obi is more responsible and saner than Ngige

Summary
So according to Peter Obi now is that only Catholics can move the state forward meaning that other Protestants are evil people.

Peter Obi is only identifying with people he shared a common faith with and it has nothing with being anti Pentecostal or anti-Muslim. For those who understand Anambra, you'd know that is a Christian dominated state with a lot of Catholics. I'm sure whatever he said was not based on his office as a governor but based on his faith as a Catholic. In Nigeria, it's not unusual for politicians to at times identify with their religious community most especially if that's where the bulk of their votes would be coming from. So, nothing new under the sun.

Isn't Ngige a Catholic? I don't why Catholic chitch is being involved in this politics?

Anambra is 90% Catholics and going by this, we can say that it is a Catholic State. Does it really matter as almost all Candidates are Catholics apart from Ubah and a few others?? We Anambrarians will vote who we want come Today next week.

Let it end here.

-

Afam4eva: Peter Obi should shut up and stop stiring up disharmony in Anambra state. So now, it's not more about Anambra North but Catholic. I'm more than desperate to see Obiano lose this election.

Bros Afam, election is coming up in less than two years from now.

It shouldn't be your headache, allow Anambrarians to decide come next week.

felucci: Peter Obi is only identifying with people he shared a common faith with and it has nothing with being anti Pentecostal or anti-Muslim. For those who understand Anambra, you'd know that is a Christian dominated state with a lot of Catholics. I'm sure whatever he said was not based on his office as a governor but based on his faith as a Catholic. In Nigeria, it's not unusual for politicians to at times identify with their religious community most especially if that's where the bulk of their votes would be coming from. So, nothing new under the sun.

Bros u get sense at all? Sorry to ask.
I ask because ur post has no modicum of thoughtfulness in it at all. Did u read the OP or did u just jump to start commenting? SMH.
Did u not see where Obi allegedly used the word "maintaing grip"? When did that become synonymous with identifying with one's own group? That signifies incapacitating and continually disempowering another group in case u do not understand english.
The stupidity of that stament by Obi, if it is true he said it, only rivals the stupidity of ur post.
At a time when Igbo unity seems to be what u southeasterners are clamouring for ur brain sees nothing wrong with such divisive statements coming from a supposed leader because "nothing is new under the sun".
A good leader will clamour for good successors irrespective of their religious affiliations.
A good head will not read the OP and say "identifying with his group....nothing new under the sun".
I pity ur Biafra.

PS: I do not believe this story. I will like to think Obi is smater than to make this stament.

I have been able to develop my myself in order to read news with an Open mind. Mr. Callistus Ilozumba spoke on behalf of Peter Obi and it will be assume the Governor instructed him to make such statement. Anyway, I will be waiting for the Governor office to denounce this report within the next 72 hours. Its a dangerous statement and can work against the Governor and His Political Party in Anambra. Catholic are never in Majority in Anambra.

Slizbeat: Anambra is 90% Catholics and going by this, we can say that it is a Catholic State..

Sorry, your perception is wrong. Can you back up your claim with any proof? Anambra State is never 90% Catholics. The State is divided along Anglican and Catholic Faithfuls. With the influx of New Generation Churches like Lord Chosen, Redeem, TREM, Mountain of Fire e.t.c, Catholics alone can't determine the winner of the Governorship race. Catholics faithfuls in Anambra can't be above 30%, they are loosing their youths to new generation churches. I'm writing from my personal experience and wide contacts in Anambra State.

Anyway, I think the commissioner was in the midst of Catholics Faithful and needed to solicit their votes. But the statement is very wrong and I need clarification from the Governor office or else, he will pay for it politically.

[/quote]Catholics faithfuls in Anambra can't be above 30%, they are loosing their youths to new generation churches. I'm writing from my personal experience and wide contacts in Anambra State [quote]

.

Bros you can lieoooooo.How come almost all the parties are presenting catholic candidates and consistently trying to woo the church.

The catholic church constitute over 70% of the populations of Anambra,Enugu and Imo states.If you contesty this figure go and ask Ex-Gov Ohakim about his experience with the catholic church.