The Nigerian Presidency says calls by popular Catholic priest, Ejike Mbaka for President Muhammadu Buhari to resign or be impeached is an expression of frustration after failed attempts by the cleric to secure contracts as compensation for his support.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu in a statement on Friday said followers of the religious leader will turn against him if the pictures and his requests were made public.
The religious leader had on Wednesday asked the country’s leader to resign over worsening insecurity in the country.
“There is no security in this country. House of Reps and the Senate should impeach the President if he doesn’t want to resign. God is asking what is the matter, I am telling God now, let him change our leaders for us. God is angry with our leaders, from Buhari to the last. God’s anger is upon you, you have failed God,” the catholic priest had said.
Mr Shehu in the statement however said, “an outsider distilling the avalanche of verbiage, will be surprised that after supporting the President two times to win the Presidency, Father Mbaka has made a complete U-Turn, preposterously asking President Buhari to resign or be impeached.
“Here is the point of departure: Father Mbaka asked for a meeting and to the shock of Presidential Aides, he came accompanied by three contractors. The President graciously allowed them in, and to everyone’s surprise, Father Mbaka asked for contracts as compensation for his support.
“Anyone familiar with President Buhari knows that he doesn’t break the laid down rules in dealing with contracts or any other government business for that matter. He requested the appropriate authorities to deal with the matter in accordance with laid down rules.
“Inside the Villa, discretion prevailed, that if those pictures and requests were made public, the followers will turn against the religious leader. None of it was released. Now, this is what is eating Father Mbaka.”
By Abel Ejikeme
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