President Muhammadu Buhari has said that one of the best exhortations to the nation he has heard from the pulpit was the one made early this year by Father Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministries, Enugu.
The Catholic priest backed Buhari’s bid to become president, and openly castigated former president Goodluck Jonathan whom he supported earlier, in the run-up to the 2015 presidential polls.
Father Mbaka told his teeming followers that Jonathan would not be re-elected because of the pervasive corruption and insecurity in the country.
Receiving the priest at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, President Buhari praised Father Mbaka’s “exemplary courage”.
“Thank you very much for what you have done and said. It brought you out to the whole country as a man of courage. It was honest and well delivered,” the President said. “It has gone into the records as one of the best concerns expressed from the pulpit, not because it favoured me and my party, the All Progressives Congress, but because it was good for the country.”
President Buhari reaffirmed his conviction that change will come to the country, “with a lot of hard work, despite the security and economic problems,” a statement by his spokesman Femi Adesina, said.
He appealed for the continued understanding and patience of Nigerians.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was present at the meeting with Father Mbaka, described the priest as a man “who stood for truth and propriety, and declared corruption unacceptable”.
He added that the Buhari administration “is committed to truth and justice, and won’t encourage corruption in any way”.
Fr. Mbaka said he was happy with the mission and methodology of the Buhari administration.
He also wished the President a happy 73rd birthday.
-PremiumTimes