Former Edo State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Adams
Oshiomhole has accused the leadership of the Catholic Archdiocese of
Benin City of harbouring ethnic and political bias in its recent response
to remarks he made concerning a nursing institution in Benin.
Oshiomhole, in a statement issued through his Chief of
Staff, Victor Oshioke, alleged that the Church’s criticism of his
comments during a recent Arise TV interview was driven by lingering
resentment over the defeat of Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Mr.
Peter Obi in the 2023 elections. He specifically pointed to the ethnic
roots of Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze, who hails from Ogbaru
in Anambra State, the same state as Mr. Obi.
At the center of the controversy is a statement issued
by Rev. Fr. Orah, Director of Social Communications and Printing Press
for the Archdiocese, titled “Setting the Record Straight: St. Philomena
College of Nursing is not Government Owned.” The Church issued the
statement in response to Oshiomhole’s assumption during his interview that a
nursing school visited by Obi was government-owned.
Oshiomhole clarified that he never explicitly named St.
Philomena College of Nursing in his comments, but merely assumed, based on
his knowledge as a former governor, that the facility visited was the state-owned
School of Nursing and Midwifery on Sapele Road.
“That was a simple assumption, made without malice or
intention to mislead,” the former APC national chairman stated. “But rather
than seek clarification or engage in good faith, the Catholic Archdiocese of
Benin City chose to interpret this honest mistake as deliberate
misinformation.”
He described the Church’s response as “a sad
commentary on the deepening culture of bias, judgment, and partisanship, even
within the spiritual space that ought to be above such tendencies.”
The statement further accused the Church of exhibiting
“remnant attitudes of the 2023 campaign era,” where some clergy allegedly
turned altars into “partisan podiums,” urging congregants to support Obi.
Oshiomhole, a practising Catholic, expressed
disappointment over what he described as the Church’s moral superiority in its
rebuke and questioned its selective memory in celebrating political visits. He
lamented that despite his past support for the Church — particularly during a
2009 crisis involving allegations of ethnic bias in priest postings — the
Archdiocese now appears to be targeting him unfairly.
“It is both ironic and shameful that the same man who
helped stabilize the Church in Edo State is now being vilified by it,” the
statement read. “It is even more shameful that while the Archdiocese celebrates
the political visit of Peter Obi, it completely ignores and erases the enduring
support Oshiomhole has given to the Church, both in public office and as a
devoted member.”
While reiterating his respect for the Catholic Church,
Oshiomhole vowed not to allow his name to be tarnished for political reasons.
“Senator Oshiomhole will not engage in a war of words
with the Church. But he will also not stand by while his name is falsely
portrayed and his good faith actions twisted to suit partisan ends,” the
statement concluded. “God sees the heart and knows the difference between a
genuine error and a manufactured outrage.”
The situation has sparked broader conversations around
the intersection of religion, ethnicity, and politics in Nigeria, particularly
within the post-election climate.
Comments:
Leave a Reply