The Presidency has attributed Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka’s call for President Buhari to resign to the President’s decision to reject his contract request.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement titled ‘Father Mbaka is everything apart from what he claims to be.’
The Catholic Priest had asked the President to resign or be impeached by the National Assembly, during his sermon at the Adoration Ground in Enugu where he is the Spiritual Director of the Ministry.
“Let me tell you; if it is in a civilized country, by now, President Buhari would have resigned with what is happening. Nigerians are crying because there’s no security in the country, the House of Representatives should impeach the president if he doesn’t want to resign,”Fr Mbaka said.
“A good coach cannot watch his players be defeated when he has players sitting down on the bench. It is either Buhari resigns by himself or he will be impeached,” he added.
However, in a swift reaction, the President’s Spokesman berated Fr Mbaka on his call.
Shehu claimed that Mbaka had come to the Villa with three contractors to see the President soliciting for contracts for them, which the President referred them to appropriate authority.
He said; “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.”