What a Shame: Catholic Church Disowns Father Mbaka

The Catholic Diocese of Enugu state has dissociated itself from the endorsement of some South-East governors and candidates contesting for different political positions by Father Ejike Mbaka, the spiritual director of Adoration ministries, Enugu.

This development is coming after Mbaka embarrassed the vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peter Obi for failing to donate money to his church during their recent Bazaar ceremony. Mbaka also publicly accused Obi of being ‘Stingy’. His actions have been condemned by several catholic faithful and the church itself.

The diocese stated that it had not endorsed any candidate for the 2019 general Elections.

In an interview with the Press on Tuesday, the director of communications, Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi disclosed that the Church was apolitical and does not take any political position. In his words;

“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.