Catholic Bishops Meet over Security, Violence Free Polls
Jonathan, politicians to attend conference
in Abuja Bishops under the aegis of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) are to meet today in Abuja over several national issues ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Top on the agenda at the conference is security and violence free 2015 general elections. The Catholic Church has already expressed concern over insecurity mostly in the northern part of the country and how that may impede the process.
Speaking to THISDAY on the expectations of the conference, which has as its theme ‘Good Family, Make Good Nation’ CBCN President, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos said the current political atmosphere compels the Bishops to reflect on the situation and possibly charge politicians to chart the course of peace in the political activities.
Kaigama said: “We are very much concerned with the elections; that is why we have been meeting with some of the contestants. The 2015 elections is about who is going to be the winner, it is about Nigeria”.
The meeting is coming on the heels of the first 2015 plenary of the Bishops’ conference expected to be attended by top political heavyweights who may want to get the blessings of the highest decision making organ of the Catholic Church in the country.
Though it was not explicitly stated in the announcement of the conference, there are indications that President Goodluck Jonathan who has been in the South-west unveiling projects and campaigning will attend the Bishops’ conference today. Kaigama told THISDAY that an invitation was extended to the president.
Director of Caritas Nigeria, an arm of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) Rev. Evaritus Bassey, informed THISDAY that there was no indication that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is billed to show up at the conference; given that he had already addressed the Bishops earlier in Abuja.
Bassey further explained that the forthcoming elections might have contributed in the redrawing of the timeline for the conference, as dioceses across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have already presented their reports yesterday.
Regarding the controversy trailing the partisanship of Catholic clergy, Kaigama explained that “the church do not allow partisanship among the clergy.”
He said though man is a political being, “Bishops and priests are not supposed to be partisanship. Partisanship is not part of us,” the CBCN president maintained.
Kaigama clarified that partisanship is not part of the character of the church; “whether it is Bishops or priests promoting a particular candidate, they are not doing it in the name of the Catholic Church, it is wrong and not in our character.”
He also deployed those criticising the church for meeting Gen. Buhari of the APC, stressing that the church has the right to meet politicians running elections in order to present their issues.
The issue of partisanship among the Catholic clergy appears to have sent wrong signals with the recent endorsement of politicians contesting elections by Catholic priests.
Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka recently went against the Canon Law of the Church by stirring the nest of controversy where he openly campaigned against president Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in favour of Gen. Buhari of the APC.
The controversial endorsement has continued to receive condemnation with many in the church, including Onaiyekan calling for the outright sanctioning of Mbaka. A call, the Catholic Archdiocese of Enugu where Mbaka’s serve is yet to heed. Bishop Onaga of Enugu Archdiocese is also yet to make an official statement on the saga.
In the same token, there have also been discontent among few laity regarding the subtle manner some high ranking clergy have been showing their support and displaying their preferences for some particular candidates ahead of the presidential, national assembly and gubernatorial elections.