We salute the courage and audacity of the Clergy of Nsukka Diocese (Anglican Communion) for standing firm against the show of shame exhibited by the desperate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, who had tried to buy their conscience with N10 million “kola”, which these men of God flatly rejected.
Report had it that on Thursday, September 1, 2022, the PDP campaign team led by Ifeanyi Ossai, the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the party, accompanied by the State Party Chairman, Augustine Nnamani, the PDP House of Representatives Candidate for Nsukka/Igbo Eze South, Vitalis Abba, together with the Chairmen of the six local government councils in Enugu North Zone, met with the Nsukka Anglican clergymen to solicit their support in next year’s general election.
The Deputy Governorship Candidate, Ifeanyi Ossai, who spoke on behalf of the team, told the clergymen that his position as running mate, was enough to compensate Nsukka people for whatever they were hoping to get in the next dispensation, and in the process, presented N10 million cash gift to them.
But the Nsukka Anglican clergymen flatly rejected the offer, and boldly and courageously told the team that money would never buy their priestly calling, and their conscience. They told the PDP campaign team that all they require is a level-playing field.
With that slap on their face, the PDP campaign team shamelessly carried back their money and returned to where they came from.
We commend the Nsukka Anglican clergymen for demonstrating the fact that they are indeed true followers of Christ, and that they are living according to His teachings and tenets as “salts of the earth” and “light of the world”.
These clergymen have shown the way forward to their own followers who will not hesitate to follow their example. What else do we need to sanitize the corrupt and despicable society like ours, than to look up the example of these courageous men of God?
Many people blame the ills of Nigerian society on leadership failure. They believe that if the leaders are honest and upright, the followers will equally be the same. But in a society where the leaders are compromised and corrupt, everything will also go down the line.
The Peoples Democratic Party led government in Enugu State are known for its capacity at throwing money around to people they believe they can buy their conscience, while they have abandoned the basic needs of the people, like fixing many of the dilapidated roads in the state, providing portable water to the people, providing healthcare facilities, paying pensions and gratuities to retired workers, among others.
In recent times, particularly since after the compromised primaries of the PDP, the state government has been arranging endless streams of Solidarity Visits to the Governor, where millions of naira are doled out to these visitors as their “transport” money.
In the same vein, the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, Peter Mbah, has been touring local government areas and visiting prominent groups and individuals in the state, and dropping millions of naira to the people, as “kola”. You wonder where all these monies are coming from, and what will be the aftermath, if they happen to win next year’s election, God forbid.
Perhaps, Enugu PDP and their leaders should be told in clear terms that money can no longer be used to buy people’s conscience, and that the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, is leading the crusade of rejection of the old order and the enthronement of a generation change, which the Nsukka Anglican Clergymen are very much attuned to.
We salute them.
