Catholic bishop disowns statement calling for Buhari’s arrest

Catholic bishop disowns statement calling for Buhari’s arrest

The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, has dissoci­ated himself from an online report published on Friday calling for the arrest and prosecution of the presi­dential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen Mohammadu Buhari, for making un­guarded statements.

This is even as he called on politicians canvass­ing for elective posts in the forthcoming elections to discuss ideas and poli­cies that will enhance the growth and development of the country.

The bishop said he was not aware of the online re­port until he started receiv­ing calls from concerned people.

He said: “A news story was published in 2012 by ‘Punch’ and some newspa­pers on my comment on the alleged statement by Maj. Gen. Buhari (rtd) after the 2011 general elections in Nigeria. It is the story the dirty people are now ma­nipulating as an interview I just granted in 2015.”

He described the online story as a practical example of “politics of desperation and manipulation”, de­scribing those behind the story as dirty and agents of “division and darkness.”

The bishop, who decried the pathetic situation the country is passing through, called on all Nigerians, in­cluding religious leaders, to work together to avoid the total collapse of the country.

He added: “Inevitably this is the actual time for change and we must not al­low the wind of change to pass us by.

“All of us, including re­ligious leaders, must work together for this change if we do not want Nigeria to collapse totally.”

While calling for the sin­cerity of all stakeholders towards ensuring credible elections, Bishop Ajakaye called for the prosecution of anybody found culpable in election rigging.

“In the same way, the Ju­diciary must live up to its expectation. It must main­tain its independence and identity, rather than be in the pockets of the execu­tive. To avoid unnecessary tension and crisis in our society, the judiciary must strive to speed up the vari­ous election petitions.”

The bishop described politics as a clean game which he said is for service and good governance for the benefit of mankind though he agreed that there are “dirty people in Nigeria” who engage in politics.

Such people, the bishop said, are in politics to ac­quire power, prestige and money and could do any­thing to achieve their ambi­tion.

Source: Daily Times