Rev Fr Mbaka
The Christian Association of Nigeria and religious leaders in Imo state have expressed reservations over the recent prediction by renowned Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, that Governor Emeka Ihedioha will lose his seat to the opposition All Progressives Congress.
Mbaka in his New Year message had predicted that the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Hope Uzodinma, will upturn and take over from Emeka Ihedioha as Governor of Imo State.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in it reaction said it’s opposed to politically motivated prophecies whilst the Bishops Conference of Nigeria said that the Catholic Church not into fortune telling.
CAN leader, Senior Apostle Godson Ibeji, said that the cleric’s prophesy is without substance, wondering why a matter before the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, would be so tossed around.
He said that said CAN had consistently kicked against such prophecies tailored to suit the whims and caprices of politicians.
“CAN has consistently opposed such politically motivated prophesies and at the same time strived to maintain the standards that guide and regulates the practice of Christianity. State chapter, said the Cleric’s prophesy is without substance, wondering why a matter before the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, would be so tossed around.
“CAN has consistently opposed such politically motivated prophesies and at the same time strived to maintain the standards that guide and regulates the practice of Christianity.
The National Youth Council of Nights Imo State chapter, in a statement in Owerri by its state Chairman, Isdore Chukwuemeka, advised Mbaka not to unduly inflame the polity and to leave Governor Emeka Ihedioha alone.
“We advise Fr. Mbaka to leave Governor Emeka Ihedioha alone. The youths of Imo State are pleased and satisfied with the ‘Rebuild Imo’ administration.
“Governor Ihedioha is barely seven months in office and has aggressively restored all that the locust had eaten in Imo state in the last eight years.
“We do not want further distractions of the rebuilding process in the State. Where was Mbaka when Imo State was serially raped for eight years by a clueless administration that mindlessly looted the treasury of the State?
The NYCN wondered why Mbaka would always direct his prophesies to Imo State alone.
“We wonder why Fr. Mbaka focuses his prophecies on Imo State alone with such underlying intents, capable of destabilizing the state. We cannot remember when he prophesied on political developments in other States.
“We recall how he destabilized Ikedi Ohakim’s administration when he bought hook, line and sinker, the road-side gossip that Ohakim flogged a catholic priest.
“In the end, it turned out to be loud hoax but Fr.Mbaka had already built castles on that falsehood and based on it to make injurious proclamations and prophecies against Ohakim prior to the 2011 governorship election.”
NYCN also regretted that the cleric was mixing politics with religion, far more than it is good for the faith and for society; and urged the priest not to allow politicians compromise his calling.
“Sadly, in recent times, the Mbaka conveys the impression that he is a ‘voice for hire’”, the group lamented.
In his reaction, Bishop Lucius Ugorji of Umuahia Catholic Diocese, who is also Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, said the Catholic Church which Fr.Mbaka belongs to as a Priest, is not into fortune telling and as such, does not give authority to any priest to make predictions on who wins a court case or not.
He said “The Catholic Church is not into fortune telling and so does not authorise any Priest to make predictions on her behalf on who wins a court case.
“Anyone who speaks on such a matter is expressing his personal opinion.”
“We will continue to tow this path until we restore sanity in the practice of priesthood”, the statement stressed.
The Cleric said he does not give attention to such predictions, because they are cheap guess works.
Bishop Ugorji advised Imo people not to rely on such ‘guesswork’, veiled as prophecy to support the governor of their choice, but to rather pray that their choice Governor wins at the Supreme Court.
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