CBCN members laud the decision that former Presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), took to seek redress through the courts.
“We are pleased to note that many of the aggrieved persons opted to seek redress through the courts rather than inciting people to violence,” CBCN members say in their collective statement that Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama published on his Facebook page on September 15.
They add, “As the judicial determination of the election petitions is ongoing, we continue to call on the tribunals and the courts to be fair, just and credible in their judgements. This will inspire confidence in the process and encourage every citizen to work for the common good.”
While acknowledging that the elections were “marred by many pitfalls and irregularities”, the Catholic Bishops in Africa’s most populous nation “encourage the electorate to always hope in God and not to despair in the exercise of their civic duties.”
In the statement that CBCN president, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji and Secretary, Bishop Donatus A. Ogun, signed, the Bishops remind the Catholic Laity “with talent for politics to make themselves available for this moral political duty.”
“We remind all the Clergy and Consecrated Persons that partisan political activities and holding of public offices are, by Church Law, primarily the roles reserved to the Lay Faithful,” they say in their collective statement following their Plenary Assembly that was held at Chida International Hotel, Utako District in Nigeria’s Abuja Archdiocese.
They emphasize, “We the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, forbid the participation of our priests and consecrated persons in partisan politics.”
Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.
