The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has distanced itself from the endorsement of some governors of the South-East and candidates contesting different political positions by the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Reverend Fr. Ejike Mbaka.
The church said it has not endorsed any candidate for the 2019 general elections.
Mbaka had, during the bazaar of his ministry in Enugu, last Sunday, embarrassed the vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, for not publicly announcing what he would do for the ministry and also accused him of being stingy, an action that has been roundly condemned by the Catholic Church.
Speaking in an interview last night, Director of Communications, Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi said the church is apolitical and the church does not take any political position at any time.
“The church is apolitical.
The church doesn’t take any political position at any time and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), a couple of weeks ago, issued an official statement to that effect; that the pulpit should not be used for any political campaign or the priest coming out to endorse any candidate as against the other. So, there has been official statement to that effect by CBCN.
So, anything on the contrary is against what the church is teaching.
“He doesn’t represent the official position of the church because the church’s position has always been clear and that is what the position of the church has always been, and it hasn’t changed yet. Church officials don’t come out and make political statements or say things that might suggest that one political candidate is endorsed as against the other, no. It is against the church’s mode of operation.
It is against the church’s principles,” he said.
Meanwhile, a renowned Prophet in Enugu, Anthony Nwoko, has lashed at Fr. Mbaka and said he (Mbaka) is not operating with the spirit of holiness.
“Mbaka is not a man of God. He has been deceiving the world. The man that will rule the world is in Enugu and Mbaka could not see it.”
