Politics
Of Mbaka’s Discordant Tunes And His Critics
This is a season of pre
dictions, not just for what becomes of the New Year in the long run, but what lies in the belly of the forthcoming general elections in the country. Thus, when the popular Enugu catholic priest and founder of the Adoration Ministry, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka chose to be partisan in his liberation theology, Nigerians began to question the authenticity of his messages to his numerous admirers.
Rev Mbaka’s messages concerning President Goodluck Jonathan at two different fora form the basis of judgement on the style, colour and what the priest stands for in politics of the time.
In November 2014, Rev Mbaka played host to First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and others at his Enugu parish where he told the First Lady that her husband had “done well” and deserved another tenure at the Aso Rock, in spite of the distractions apparently referring to the issues of terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria.
The priest did not stop there. He defended President Jonathan for not saving the Chibok school girls, adding that “campaigners on the Chibok girls’ abduction have no reason asking the President to return the girls’ home since Mr. Jonathan was not keeping them.”
Fr. Mbaka who said he heard his message from “above” offered special players for President Jonathan to win the re-election and excel in leadership. Dame Patience was special guest of honour at the 2014 annual thanksgiving and bazaar of Fr. Mbaka’s parish church. She took a bible reading from Genesis, chapter 12:2-3.
However, about a month after the visit of the First Lady, the catholic priest made a dramatic u-turn on Goodluck Jonathan and started singing discordant tunes about the President’s re-election bid. In his new year message, delivered on the eve of 2015, Rev Mbaka lambasted and warned President Jonathan to forget about his 2015 re-election bid and allow his main opponent, Muhammadu Buhari to be the next President
Apart from calling on President Jonathan to “quietly resign” for failing to tackle the insecurity and corruption in the land, the catholic priest also said that Nigeria would be doomed if President Jonathan is re-elected. He recalled the November meeting with the First Lady, and said the “spiritual drama” he performed that day using pigeons, showed that the President would lose the forthcoming elections.
According to him, four pigeons were freed from the cage to fly up but the one that represented Mr. Jonathan refused to move even though it was the healthiest.
The first question that emerges from Rev Mbaka’s spiritual drama is that the other three pigeons that flew away represented who and who? Again, why did he not disclose the outcome of the “spiritual drama” at the November session with Dame Patience? Could Fr. Mbaka have compromised his spirituality with the fallout of the visit of the First Lady at his church’s bazaar?
Or could it be that the catholic priest uses different spiritual colours to attend spiritual/political sessions and that, by and large, determine the colouration of his spiritual interpretations on political issues?
However, an Anglican Archbishop believed that Fr. Mbaka was settled for him to change gear on the first family. The Archbishop of Enugu Anglican Province and Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, said, “Fr. Mbaka should declare to the world how much he collected from the opponent for him to say all he said against Dr. Jonathan.”
Reacting to Fr. Mbaka’s new year message at his adoration ground, Archbishop Chukwuma recalled First Lady’s visit to Mbaka’s adoration ground in November 2014 where he alleged she (Dame Patience) doled out N5 million and the catholic priest eulogized the President, urging him to continue in his good works without fear or favour only to turn back suddenly to make negative statements about him.
The Anglican archbishop, however, called on Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria to check Fr. Mbaka with a view to curbing his excesses.
The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) also expressed concern over the excesses of its priest. The Secretary-General of CSN, Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu, distanced the Catholic Church from Fr. Mbaka’s comments on President Jonathan and the forthcoming general elections, saying they were his personal opinion.
He said some charismatic leaders who claim that they are getting their inspiration from the holy spirit or from God, should not open their mouth wide but pass their message in a manner that is acceptable, considering the explosive nature of the country and other factors.
But the All Progressives Congress (APC) praised Fr. Mbaka’s criticisms of President Jonathan administration for what the party called “his uncommon concern for the down-trodden and for being the advocate of the masses and the voice of the voiceless”.
APC which reacted through its South East spokesperson, Osita Okechukwu, described Fr. Mbaka as a liberation theologian, noting that President Jonathan “is a shoeless man that abandoned the shoeless when he ascended to power. Fr. Mbaka is 100 percent correct.”
He slammed the President for “monumental corruption” of his administration and also accused him of having squandered unprecedented crude oil and gas revenue resulting in Nigeria sliding back into the dangerous loop of foreign debt trap.
On Monday, January 6, 2015, pro-Buhari supporters engaged their pro-Jonathan counterparts in a war of words at the old market road in the commercial city of Onitsha where the former insisted that there was nothing wrong in what Fr. Mbaka said. According to the pro-Buhari group, Rev. Mbaka only gave the message of God to save the ailing country from the hands of President Jonathan.
However, leader of pro-Jonathan group and chairman of Newspaper Distributors Association, Onitsha, Jude Isiguzo, lambasted Fr. Mbaka for attacking President Jonathan, describing his action as against the principle of evangelisation. He said there is no alternative to President Jonathan and that his re-election is God’s making not man’s.
Further dissecting Dr. Mbaka’s fierce attack on Jonathan titled “From Goodluck to Bad Luck,” Onyiorah Paschal Chiduluemije, said there is nothing wrong for Fr. Mbaka hosting the First Lady and using pigeons which supposedly signify peace.He, however, believes there is certainly something wrong with the catholic priest to say that the one pigeon, out of the four pigeons, that refused to fly up represented President Jonathan.
Contrary to the claim that Fr. Mbaka was not partisan, Paschal argues that the catholic priest is actually partisan for him to have singled out one of the pigeons as representing Nigeria’s No. 1 citizen.
The second Niger bridge which Jonathan promised Ndigbos during his first term is taking donkey years to be accomplished. Perhaps, this provides the prism from which some aspects of Fr. Mbaka’s outburst could be well situated. But issues pertaining to development are hardly discussed in isolation.
While Jonathan administration cannot be spared for delaying the construction of the second Niger bridge, praises ought to be showered on him for his developmental legacies in Igboland by way of appointments into key government positions and the building of an international airport of world-class standard in Enugu, after decades of misrule and marginalisation of the Igbos in national project.
Unarguably, insecurity has challenged Jonathan administration more than past administrations but that is not to say that his government has not been responsible enough in tackling insurgency within the ambit of the laws as well as the limit of rules of engagement available to the Nigerian military and other security agencies operating n the evil axis of the North.
Samuel Eleonu
The Senate has confirmed Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The Red Chamber confirmed Amupitan after a voice vote conducted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and after undergoing screening and answering questions posed by the lawmakers.
Amupitan had earlier arrived at the National Assembly complex earlier, exchanged pleasantries with Senators.
He was accompanied to the chamber by the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, and other dignitaries.
At about 12:50 p.m., the nominee was ushered into the Senate chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado, and was already seated ahead of the commencement of the exercise.
Amupitan was allowed into the hallowed chamber after the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), moved that Order 12 be set aside to allow visitors into the chamber, and he was seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).
Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed Amupitan, his family members, and well-wishers to the Red Chamber, commending them for their presence.
Before introducing himself to the Senators for the question and answer session to take off, Akpabio disclosed to his colleagues that the nominee had been cleared by the office of the National Security Adviser after vetting.
According to Akpabio, the office of the Department of State Services had also cleared him.
The Senate President also said that the Office of the Inspector-General of Police, having done a fingerprint search on him, cleared him and said that he had no criminal records with the police.
The screening exercise commenced at about 12:55 p.m. following Akpabio’s opening remarks, during which he outlined the procedures to be followed by the lawmakers in considering the nominee’s credentials.
The screening session focused on Amupitan’s vision for credible elections, his plans for institutional reforms within INEC, and measures to deepen the use of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Following his confirmation by the Senate, Amupitan will oversee preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and lay the groundwork for the 2027 general elections.
The Tide source earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu had nominated Amupitan, a Professor of Law from the University of Jos, to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
The President’s letter conveying Amupitan’s nomination was read on the floor of the Senate by Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, Amupitan, is widely regarded for his expertise in constitutional and international law.
He said, although he was deeply concerned about some governors and lawmakers defecting to the APC, the party was working quietly behind the scenes to stabilise its ranks and rebuild public trust.
“If you ask me whether I’m concerned about our governors leaving for APC, I am more than concerned. But leadership is a burden. As a leader of a group of equal status, I cannot determine the decisions or inactions of my colleagues, but certainly, a lot of work is being done behind the scenes,” he said.
The Bauchi governor accused the APC-led federal government of using coercive tactics to weaken the opposition, saying the ruling party was bent on turning Nigeria into a one-party state.
“You know the style of leadership of the APC-led federal government in trying to make this country a one-party state. They have the power of coercion; they have the power of everything,” he said.
Governor Mohammed, however, maintained that the defections would not derail the PDP’s resurgence, stressing that most Nigerians at the grassroots remained loyal to the party.
“Even those who left are not finding it easier because most of the people at the grassroots level are PDP and are not happy with the defections. Sometimes it is done because of permutations and calculations. But I assure you I am not going anywhere. I am in PDP, and my state has no element of division,” he explained.
Governor Mohammed revealed that more defections could occur, including from lawmakers in his state, but insisted the PDP structure in Bauchi remained solid.
“Even today, I saw in the news that one of my senators is going. They are being controlled, they are being bought, but certainly, the state is PDP. Nigerians want change, and they believe they can get it through the PDP,” he stated.
The governor emphasised that the PDP had laid the foundation for most of Nigeria’s measurable achievements under successive governments and that the party remained the only credible platform capable of providing national renewal.
“Most of the measurable achievements by the federal government were done by PDP regimes. By the grace of God, if we stand firm, we will deliver. Some of us who won as governors were not even considered capable, and here we are. That’s what will play out in 2027,” he said.
Addressing concerns over potential threats to the forthcoming convention, the PDP stalwart said the party leadership was working to resolve internal disputes and litigations aimed at destabilising preparations.
“I cannot speak for the National Working Committee, but as a leader within the party, I know they are doing their best to address issues of litigations. Many are artificially created to undermine us, but we don’t have any faction in the PDP,” he said.
He noted that while some individuals had approached the courts to stop the party’s convention, the PDP remained more organised than most opposition parties.
“Comparatively, most of the other parties are not better off than us. We are better off than most opposition parties. We are the only ones intact; with one National Secretary, one National Chairman, and one Publicity Secretary. This meeting gives hope that at the end of the day, we will deliver,” he said.
On reports of Governor Peter Mbah’s rumoured defection from the PDP, Governor Mohammed said Governor Mbah had not formally declared any intention to leave and remained a respected colleague.
“Actually, Governor Mbah has not told us his position. It is a personal decision. We cannot remove his picture before he leaves. When he leaves, we will replace him with another person. Up till now, he has not told me he’s leaving,” he said.
He also dismissed speculation surrounding Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, describing him as a loyal member of the PDP who had endured significant challenges in office.
“He has not left the party; he is still PDP. Everybody has his own style. He is a humble young man who has gone through so much and has done well to accommodate all the problems and challenges he found himself in,” he said.
Commenting on speculations about a possible 2027 presidential project involving former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Bauchi governor said the PDP remained open to prominent figures who wished to return or associate with the party.
“People are still interested in this party, and these big names being associated with us make us happy. As governors, we have resolved to put personal interests aside. We are united and will come up with leadership that will be the best choice for Nigerians to put in Aso Rock, inshallah,” he stated.
Governor Mohammed reaffirmed his commitment to the PDP and expressed optimism that new, visionary leaders would emerge from the party in 2027 to defeat what he called the APC’s ‘deceptive’ style of politics.
“If somebody goes, just like a bird, they go, they come. Please, don’t blame anybody at the governors’ level; we are doing our best, but it is beyond our control,” he said.
In a statement following his recent visit to the United States and Rome, Mr Obi said he used the pilgrimage as an opportunity to seek divine intervention for Nigeria’s unity, peace, and responsible leadership.
He stated that after addressing members of the Friendship Club in the US and speaking at the 1st Ubuntu African Youth Assembly in Washington, he proceeded to Rome to join his wife for a spiritual retreat.
“With hearts full of gratitude, we thanked God that, despite our differences and the many challenges faced over 65 years of independence, He has kept us together as one nation,” Mr Obi said.
During the pilgrimage, the couple visited the four major Papal Basilicas in Rome — St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica — where they met with other Nigerian pilgrims.
“Along the way, we met many Nigerian pilgrims: men and women of faith whose faces shone with quiet hope. Together, we renewed our trust in God’s mercy and in the promise of a better Nigeria,” he added.
Reaffirming his faith in both divine providence and civic duty, Mr Obi maintained that prayer must be matched with personal and collective effort.
“Faith does not absolve us of responsibility; it calls us to action. We must each continue to do our part, with honesty, diligence, and love, for our nation’s healing and progress,” he said.
Mr Obi was accompanied by his wife, Margaret, during the pilgrimage, which also included an audience with His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, at the Vatican City.
-
Featured2 days agoNigeria’s First Lady Flags Off Renewed Hope Health Initiative In Rivers …Targets Measles, Rubella, HPV Vaccination For Children, Women
-
News2 days ago
Digital Infrastructure Key To Nigeria’s Economic Growth -NIEEE
-
News2 days agoFirst Lady Charges RHI Beneficiaries To Build Foundation For Food-Secure Nigeria …As 800 Rivers Farmers Receive Agric Empowerment Support
-
News2 days ago
RAAMP: Rivers Rated High In Implementation
-
Nation2 days ago
Rivers Chief Judge Pardon 14 Inmates From Prison To End 2024/2025 Legal Year
-
Nation2 days ago
Cancer Care: Expert Seeks Hospice In UPTH
-
News2 days agoUse Service Year To Build Capacity, Fubara Urges Corp Members
-
Featured2 days agoWorkers’ Audits Not Meant For Downsizing – Walson Jack