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 to THISDAY in an exclusive 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.”

Meanwhile, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of
Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, said
Nigerians should avoid hasty generalisation, as the
statement of one Catholic priest cannot be taken to
represent the voices of more than 30 million Catholics in
Nigeria.
Kaigama told THISDAY that though Mbaka could not have
been speaking for the Nigerian Catholic Church, Nigerians
should avoid making unguided statements and hasty
generalisation on national issues like the 2015 general
election.


“There are more than 30 million Catholics in Nigeria, Fr
Mbaka is just one Catholic, if he makes a statement, it
cannot be the voices of more than 30 million Nigerian
Catholics speaking.
“So Nigerians should avoid hasty generalisation. Mbaka
cannot speak for the church, only the CBCN can speak for
the church. Those who are complaining, should go to Fr
Mbaka and find out why he is saying what he is saying,”
Kaigama said.


The CBCN President informed THISDAY that it is completely
out of place for a Catholic priest to be partisan.
“I tell you, even the Canon Law forbid a priest to engage in
partisan politics,” Kaigama told THISDAY.
Asked if there would be punitive measures meted out to
Mbaka, Kaigama said: “If the law has been abused, we will
ensure that we enforce the law. In this case, it is not the
Catholic church; the church did not send him to say those
things.


“Mbaka belongs to a diocese, so if the Bishop finds out that
he has fallen out of line, the Bishop can call him to order,”
he said.
“Mbaka is just expressing his opinion, if we want to make a
political statement, we know how to do it. That we keep
quiet and we are marginalised, does not mean we don’t
have strength. With more than 30 million Catholics, we
have the strength,” Kaigama submitted.
The Archbishop of Jos argued that there was no public
uproar when the same Mbaka assured the first lady of
continuity.


Fr. Mbaka has come under intense condemnation following
his sermon last week, lampooning Jonathan’s
administration for poor performance.
His comment had elicited public outcry, especially, among
the teeming Catholic population in South-east and South-
south parts of the country where President Jonathan has a
strong support base.


www.thisdaylive.com/articles/i-ll-sanction-mbaka-if-he-s-under-my-diocese-says-onaiyekan/198424/

pls sanction him and let him know DAT he Is a Catholic not Pentecostal.

catholic priest should always pride themselves with their political neutrality

He should be suspended, what he's doing can cause havoc in the church because APC and PDP are also members of the church. I see another Ameachi like character