*as Catholic Church disowns Priest

The Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peter Obi,has asked Nigerians to stop attacking Mbaka over last Sunday’s incident at Adoration Ministry.

In a video that has since gone viral, Mbaka was seen telling the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi, during the annual harvest and bazaar celebration of the church on Sunday, that neither the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, nor President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, would win the 2019 presidential election.

Addressing Obi in Igbo, Mbaka had said: “Let me believe in fear, but this is a political statement. God hates stinginess. What I am saying is not for your pleasure. I am saying what will save your life, otherwise you and Atiku will fail. The way you and Atiku are moving will end in shame.”

Reacting to the priest’s political comment against him, Obi said he did not feel bad.

Speaking through Val Obienyem, his media aide, Obi said it is “wrong for priests to be attacked based on what they said on the pulpits.”

He was quoted as saying he has a reverend sister and reverend father as siblings.

“Please let us leave Fr. Mbaka alone; our duty to him is prayers for God to lead him aright,” he said.

“While one may disagree with him, we should always acknowledge that he speaks and acts from the higher perspective of wisdom.

“I have full respect for men of God and will always remember them in my prayers.

“When they go wrong as humans, subject to human frailties, ours is not to castigate them but to pray to God to lead them aright.”

Catholic Church disowns priest

Meantime, the Catholic Church has distanced itself from the Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, over his perceived politically charged statements.

The Director of Communications, Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, in an interview said the diocese was not in support of the cleric’s remarks.

He that acknowledged Mbaka is still a member of the diocese but noted that it was “wrong for priests to make political statements from the pulpit.”