Enugu Catholic Diocese Distances Self from Mbaka’s Comment on Peter Obi

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has distanced itself from the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Fr. Ejike Mbaka over his recent inflammatory political utterances against candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023  presidential election, Peter Obi.

Mbaka had on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 during his Adoration Programme, described Obi as a ‘stingy man’ and ‘a joker,’ who could never be the President of Nigeria.

In the video which went viral on social media,   the controversial Catholic priest was heard saying, “We are already hungry. We need a generous person. Nigerians are hungry. Are we not hungry?”.

Reacting via a statement jointly signed by its Chancellor/Secretary, Very Rev. Fr. Wilfred Chidi, the Vicar General, Very Rev. Fr. Geoffrey Aguigwo and Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Ernest Obodo, the Diocese said that  Mbaka’s comment contravenes canon 220 of the 1983 code of the Canon Law which prohibits anyone from illegitimately harming the good name of a person.

“Mbaka’s utterances contravened the laws of the Catholic, and did not represent the position of the Diocese” it said.

While referring to the comment as an attack on the good reputation of Obi, the Diocese charged Mbaka to refrain from such divisive utterances in order to remain united to the Body of Christ.

It said that Mbaka’s declaration that Obi will not be president, was a clear violation of the provisions of canon 287 (2) which forbids Priests from engaging in partisan politics.

The Diocese dissociated itself from what it described as the “unbecoming and divisive utterances from Fr. Mbaka notified the general public that Mbaka’s views on the matter are entirely personal to him and do not represent the position of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.

“In an effort to keep him united to the Body of Christ, we enjoin him to refrain from making further provocative prophecies or utterances capable of heating up the polity, ” the diocese said. “We assure the people of God and the general public that the Catholic Diocese of Enugu is taking the due canonical process”

The diocese urged members of the public to  pray for the peaceful conduct of elections and also discharge their civic responsibility by getting their permanent Voter’s Card and casting their votes in order to elect the right candidates.