By Chesa Chesa
The presidency says popular Catholic cleric, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, is condemning President Muhammadu Buhari for alleged incompetence because he was denied contracts during a visit to the President in Aso Rock.
Presidential media aide, Garba Shehu, in a statement issued on Friday, said Mbaka was not the saint he claims to be to his followers, because he requested to be compensated for his support towards Buhari’s election.
Shehu hinted that Buhari’s refusal to give undue and corrupt advantage to Mbaka informed the cleric’s recent outburst that the President should resign or be impeached for alleged non-performance.
Shehu said the presidency had been restrained from releasing the video and pictures of the visit and unexpected contract requests before now so that Mbaka’s followers would not turn against him.
According to Shehu: “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.”
