Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, has apologised to the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi for maligning him and injuring his supporters.
Gatekeepers News reports that Mbaka had, on Wednesday, declared that Obi is a stingy man and can never be Nigeria’s President. He also urged his followers not to vote for a “stingy man”, saying it was better to have an old man as President than a ‘stingy young man’.
“A stingy man, that cannot give people his money, with this hunger ravaging the land, and you are saying he is the one you want. You want to die of hunger? Are you people insane? Where is the Holy Spirit?”
He stressed: “I did not say he is a bad man; I said he is a stingy man. A hungry man wants someone that is generous; the man has so much money, but he is ‘I, me, myself’. But that money will not be useful to him.”
Mbaka’s comment was condemned by many from different quarters and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu also dissociated itself, saying Mbaka’s views on the matter are “entirely personal to him and do not represent the position of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu”.
On Friday, Mbaka in a statement he personally, said his intention was not to malign Obi’s image but to pray for him.
“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.
“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 endeavours.
“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?”
