The fiery Director of Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has apologised to the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and his supporters over his Thursday’s outburst against the former Anambra State governor.
He said he didn’t mean to malign the person of Obi while speaking about the latter’s frugal lifestyle.
Mbaka had declared that Obi will never be president of Nigeria because he is ‘stingy’ and except he repent.
While the cleric’s outburst had generated mixed reactions among Nigerians, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, under whose jurisdiction Mbaka operates, however, outrightly condemned and dissociated the Diocese from what it called inflammatory political utterances of Mbaka against Obi.
The Diocese described the outburst of Mbaka against Obi as unbecoming and divisive.
Meanwhile, in a statement personally signed by Mbaka on Friday, he said he is a servant of God and his intention was not to malign Obi’s image, but to pray for him.
“May God’s will be done in his life. I pray to God whom I serve to give our beloved people good and excellent leaders who will take care of them and lead them to the promised land.
“Anyone who God wishes to make our Leader is my choice. In this vein, I give my blessings to His Excellency Peter Obi and his supporters, I also give my blessings to the other candidates and their supporters whose intention is also to give Nigeria good leaders.
“In any way, the supporters of Mr. Peter Obi feel offended by my utterances or however I was misunderstood by them, I ask for their understanding and forgiveness. As a servant of the Most High God, I pray that it shall be well with my people. I am an ardent supporter of Good Governance, Justice, Equity, Love, and Godliness.
“I am grateful to God for His unquantifiable and favorable blessings, miracles, love and life for the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria.
“I assure the people of God and Nigerians that I am praying for Good Governance and Good Leadership in this country and that God will give us leaders after His own Heart.
“As it stands right now, it is obvious that Nigeria is passing through indescribable insecurity challenges, an inestimable unemployment crisis, massive corruption, heinous crimes, and unbearable suffering engendered by bad leadership.
“I bear with my fellow country men and women in whatever we are passing through in this trying time. I call on the adorers and the entire people of God to join hands in praying that God will deliver us from the plans of the devil and its wicked agents.
“At this time our people are passing through the valleys of shadows of death (Ps23.4), I pray for peace, love, and anything that will bring blessings and favour to our people and to our suffering teaming youths. I will always stand with you in all your ordeals. God will take care of you and bless you miraculously for me.
“My intention is not to fight or malign Mr. Peter Obi. He is my friend and remains my friend and brother I love him and I wish him Success May God bless him and his good supporters. God’s will be done in his political endeavors(Mk.14:36).
“The followers of Peter Obi are the same youths I am praying for, sacrificing for, fighting for, speaking for, and working for their integral well-being. What the youths are passing through and their conditions give me sleepless nights. It is for this reason that I yearn for good governance and worthy leaders that will take care of them.
“We are passing through indescribable, unbearable, and undeserved hardship in this country. I pray for Divine intervention.
I am not in any political party but I support good people and good governance. Any good person that God can give us is my choice candidate.
” I am a servant of God; For the sake of peace, I ask for forgiveness in any way I am misunderstood. And to Peter Obi himself, I ask God to bless him and manifest his will in his life. When God says Yes, who can say No? And when God says No, who can say Yes?
“I bless Peter Obi and pray for him. I bless my dear fellow Adores and pray for them. I bless the people of God everywhere and I pray that it shall be well with you all.
“For the sake of those who were gruesomely killed on Pentecost Sunday at St St. Francis Xavier parish Owo, Ondo State who are being buried today, there will be no all-night Adoration program today,17th June 2022.
“We join the entire Catholic Church to mourn their demise. May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in Perfect Peace. Amen.
“Meanwhile, all adorers are asked to convene on Sunday 19th June 2022 for our usual 10 am Mass and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Fellowship. Thank you and God bless you all,” he stated.
