Fiery Enugu Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has apologized and prayed for the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi can never be Nigeria’s President.
Mbaka made the apology after declaring that Peter Obi can never be Nigeria’s President.
He had during his latest ministration at the Adoration ground said that unless God ceases to exist, Obi would never smell the seat of the President adding that it was better to have an old man as President than a ‘stingy young man’.
The comment by the Catholic priest had stirred diverse reactions from Nigerians who accused him of hating Peter Obi because he refused to donate to his church.
The comment by the Catholic priest had stirred diverse reactions from Nigerians who accused him of hating Peter Obi because he refused to donate to his church.
However, the cleric in a statement he personally signed said he had no intention to malign His Excellency, Peter Obi’s image but to pray for him
He, therefore, apologized to Peter Obi and his supporters and paid that God will bless them.
”I am grateful to God for His unquantifiable and favourable blessings, miracles, love and life for the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria.
I assure the people of God and Nigerians that I am praying for Good Governance and Good Leadership in this country and that God will give us leaders after His own Heart.
”As it stands right now, it is obvious that Nigeria is passing through indescribable insecurity challenges, an inestimable unemployment crisis, massive corruption, heinous crimes, and unbearable suffering engendered by bad leadership. I bear with my fellow countrymen and women in whatever we are passing through in this trying time. I call on the adorers and the entire people of God to join hands in praying that God will deliver us from the plans of the devil and its wicked agents.
”I am a servant of God and my intention is not to malign His Excellency, Peter Obi’s image, but to pray for him. May God’s will be done in his life. I pray to God whom I serve to give our beloved people good and excellent leaders who will take care of them and lead them to the promised land. Anyone who God wishes to make our Leader is my choice. In this vein, I give my blessings to His Excellency Peter Obi and his supporters, I also give my blessings to the other candidates and their supporters whose intention is also to give Nigeria good leaders. In any way, the supporters of Mr Peter Obi feel offended by my utterances or however I was misunderstood by them, I ask for their understanding and forgiveness.
”As a servant of the Most High God, I pray that it shall be well with my people. I am an ardent supporter of Good Governance, Justice, Equity, Love, and Godliness. At this time our people are passing through the valleys of shadows of death (Ps23.4), I pray for peace, love, and anything that will bring blessings and favour to our people and to our suffering teaming youths. I will always stand with you in all your ordeals. God will take care of you and bless you miraculously for me.
”My intention is not to fight or malign Mr. Peter Obi. He is my friend and remains my friend and brother I love him and I wish him Success May God bless him and his good supporters. God’s will be done in his political endeavours (Mk.14:36)
”The followers of Peter Obi are the same youths I am praying for, sacrificing for, fighting for, speaking for, and working for their integral well-being. What the youths are passing through and their conditions give me sleepless nights. It is for this reason that I yearn for good governance and worthy leaders that will take care of them. We are passing through indescribable, unbearable, and undeserved hardship in this country. I pray for Divine intervention.
”I am not in any political party but I support good people and good governance. Any good person that God can give us is my chosen candidate. I am a servant of God; For the sake of peace, I ask for forgiveness in any way I am misunderstood. And to Peter Obi himself, I ask God to bless him and manifest his will in his life. When God says Yes, who can say No? And when God says No, who can say Yes? I bless Peter Obi and pray for him. I bless my dear fellow Adores and pray for them. I bless the people of God everywhere and I pray that it shall be well with you all.
”For the sake of those who were gruesomely killed on Pentecost Sunday at St St. Francis Xavier parish Owo, Ondo State who are being buried today, there will be no all-night Adoration program today,17th June 2022. We join the entire Catholic Church to mourn their demise. May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in Perfect Peace. Amen.”
In the Meantime, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu has disassociated itself from the scathing remarks against Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by its outspoken priest, Ejike Mbaka.
Mr Mbaka, during his weekly ministration service on Wednesday, said Mr Obi will not be president of Nigeria in 2023 because he is “a stingy man who does not give out money to people.”
He also said unless Mr Obi returned to his Adoration Ministry to apologise for refusing to make a donation to the ministry when he was asked to do so, his ambition to become president of Nigeria would be fruitless.
Reacting through a statement by the Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese, Ernest Obodo, the Catholic Church condemned the cleric for his utterances against Mr Obi.
The church described the comments as “provocative and divisive.”
The statement was also signed by the Secretary of the diocese, Wilfred Agubuchie, and the Vicar General of the church, Geoffrey Aguigwo.
“The Catholic Diocese of Enugu hereby condemns and disassociates herself from such unbecoming and divisive utterances from Fr. Mbaka.
“We notify the general public that Fr. Mbaka’s views on the matter are entirely personal to him and do not represent the position of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu,” the statement read in part.
It said the comments by the cleric was a “clear violation” of the provisions of canon 287 (2) which forbids catholic priests from engaging in partisan politics.
It added that the comments were also contrary to Canon 220 of the 1983 Code of the Canon Law in the church which prohibits “anyone from illegitimately” harming the good name of a person.
