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

My point too, how can a man of God be a chronic partisan.
Smh for Christian race in nigeria, no wonder our pastors are the richest in the world.

MBAKA
SYNONYM---->ADVOCATE FOR TRUTH


GMB TILL 2019

hmmm.. In weeks time,all this go end...
But dis is trash..wen Mbaka was blessing Jonathan and wife weeks ago..why didnt the man say he will sanction Mbaka?! And now he spoke THE TRUTH?
Indeed the Truth is bitter

To me this is a biased statement.

#Buhari/Osinbajo.

One would think the so called Bishops will come out and refute the allegations Father Mbaka made one by one.

Was he making point or not? Do the congregation agree or not? No wonder he is known as controversial. In Nigeria, you are termed controversial if you say the truth and refuse to dance to the gallery.

As far as tht 2015 elections are concerned Fr mbaka is on his own

arsetalks:
One would think the so called Bishops will come out and refute the allegations Father Mbaka made one by one.

Was he making point or not? Do the congregation agree or not? No wonder he is known as controversial. In Nigeria, you are termed controversial if you say the truth and refuse to dance to the gallery.

wisdom is when you say the right thing at the right time. I am from a family of chronic catholics but I won't support this man when he tries to canvass votes for an Islamic extremist.

He's not speaking for all catholics, period.

Canon law or no canon law, Fr Mbaka followed the dictates of his spirit.

Better please God and displease man than vice versa.

Wisdom? Wisdom is getting your facts right and not base your voice/opinion on make beliefs.

What fact shows Buhari as an extremist?

customized13:
wisdom is when you say the right thing at the right time. I am from a family of chronic catholics but I won't support this man when he tries to canvass votes for an Islamic extremist.

He's not speaking for all catholics, period.

arsetalks:
Wisdom? Wisdom is getting your facts right and not base your voice/opinion on make beliefs.

What fact shows Buhari as an extremist?

he told us himself when he insisted on sharia.

This u-turn message really touched some ppl bone. Wonders shall never end, catholic priest denying their own.

Bishops around the country were interviewed expect that of Enugu dioceses. I'll be waiting for his own comment.

so many prophets seeing visions .only God knows where their visions are coming from.

But you know I really don't care

PDP trying to earn his pittance using the usual lies and personality attack on the messenger, not the message!

Yaradua - badluck
Naira - badluck
Economy - badluck
Refinery - badluck
Price of petrol - badluck
Subsidy - very bad luck from 300 B to over 2 Tr
ECA - badluck
Corruption - very very badluck
More than 20,000 killed in NE alone under retardafteen - badluck
300 girls kidnapped - bad luck
More churches bombed than ever - badluck
Pension Scam, billions stolen - badluck
$20 B missing and stolen - badluck
PWC Audit report not released - badluck
From $3.5 B debt to > $60 B debt under 6 years - badluck
Privatization of power with billions - still not light - badluck
Refinery not working - badluck
Palliatives - badluck
21 dead in Immigration exercise - badluck
Religious and tribalistic division of Nigerians - badluck
From surplus to deficit - badluck
Capital expenditure - badluck
Okonjo Iweala - badluck to Nigeria's economy

Now show me how this facts are not true rather than attacking the messenger.

Sanction him for saying the truth? The same way you sanctioned the Mbaise and Ahiara people for clamouring for a bishop of their own and one who is close to them and understands their needs? Haba... My dear cardinal

customized13:
he told us himself when he insisted on sharia.

Are you a Christian or at least a church goer? If yes, you yourself should know that even in the bible, if you do not read some preceding verses, you may get confused.

Read the said interview in full and judge for yourself.

You people conveniently ignore the part in which he said non Muslims will be lectured so they know they have nothing to fear.

Mbaka shouldn't have taken sides with anyone. He should have criticized the government and leave it at that.

I would have sanction father Mbaka long ago when he release pigeon to fight for goodluck re-election during patience jonathan visit. Fixed

Although don't get it twisted, cardinal John Onaiyekan has criticize president Ebele jonathan govt morethan any clergy man

Only a fool will believe Mbaka is a man of God.
The story is now very clear to any sane mind

In November, he declared GEJ the best president ever. He expected some compensation from the presidency for the campaign and none was forth coming. He tried calling PEJ but could not reach her either.

That was the reason he had to go against GEJ from his alter believing that is the sure way to get the presidency's attention.

Am sorry, But Mbaka is no man of God and holy spirit never ministered to him. He's just after his pocket at the election period.

When he was supporting PDP and Jonapafuka in November, did anyone so much as flinch? Even the so called people now who just woke up from their deep slumber? Well you can deceive all of yourselves as much as you want, God is not mocked! Whatever you sow, you will reap!

Like I said earlier Mbaka is on his own. He has made mockery of him self by talking frm both sides of his mouth simply bc patience refused to give him her own personal contact. Am a roman catholic and majority of us will vote the candidate of our choice not minding the rubbish Mbaka vomited. We are not like the ppl up north dat are easily brainwashed by their imams and selfish leaders.

I love the response from the Bishop of Jos diocese "there wa no uproar when the same Mbaka assured the first lady of continuity"... So much wisdom in that reply Why the double standard now?

arsetalks:
Are you a Christian or at least a church goer? If yes, you yourself should know that even in the bible, if you do not read some preceding verses, you may get confused.

Read the said interview in full and judge for yourself.

You people conveniently ignore the part in which he said non Muslims will be lectured so they know they have nothing to fear.

long story, sharia is the dream of every Islamic extremist.

Southwest Muslims don't advocate for sharia.

Daguccizgreat:
Like I said earlier Mbaka is on his own. He has made mockery of him self by talking frm both sides of his mouth simply bc patience refused to give him her own personal contact. Am a roman catholic and majority of us will vote the candidate of our choice not minding the rubbish Mbaka vomited. We are not like the ppl up north dat are easily brainwashed by their imams and selfish leaders.

word, we cannot be brainwashed through our religious leaders.

oh, na Abuja dis Bishop de, I give up

Mbaka is on his own.

i weep when i saw Mbaka attributing Yaradua's death, world fuel price, boko haram to GEJ. Mr President i luv u even if no one else does.

lilmaxfidel:
MBAKA
SYNONYM---->ADVOCATE FOR TRUTH


GMB TILL 2019

SAME FATHER MBAKA SAID APC IS BOKOHARAM PARTY. --------->IS DAT AN ADVOCATE FOR TRUTH ALSO

The church shouldn't have endorsed anybody,most of these politicians can never be trusted.

lilmaxfidel:
MBAKA
SYNONYM---->ADVOCATE FOR TRUTH


GMB TILL 2019

but he ealier said gej will win free and fair so which one are we to believe

Thisday Newspaper always combing the nooks and crannies of Nigeria looking for favorable comments for jonaTAN!

Rev. Mbaka God Bless you!

Majority of Nigerians are praying for you!

kokoA:
I love the response from the Bishop of Jos diocese "there wa no uproar when the same Mbaka assured the first lady of continuity"... So much wisdom in that reply Why the double standard now?

READ DIS. AND CORRECT UR STATEMENT
https://www.nairaland.com/1989644/patience-jonathan-visits-rev-father#27879915