Victor Ezeja
The Nsukka Anglican Diocesan Clergy Association has cleared the air on the purported rejection of N10 million cash gift from the Enugu State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and political candidates.
The body of clergy, however, stated that it only rejected N2 million cash gift offered by the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Peter Mbah, his running mate, Mr Ifeanyi Ossai and candidates of other offices in Enugu State.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAccording a statement by Venerable Dr Collins Ike Ugwu, the offer was made on September 1st 2022 during the Clergy Association’s meeting held at the Lady Chapel of St. Paul’s Cathedral Nsukka.
Venerable Ugwu who presided over the clergy meeting, said the PDP candidates and State leaders visited them during the meeting, but no cash gift in whatever guise was accepted from the candidates.
There had been media reports that the Anglican Clergymen rejected the sum of N10 million from the political candidates.
The state PDP leaders led by Ifeanyi Ossai, Vita Abba, the House of Representatives’ candidate for Nsukka/ Igbo-Eze South , Augustine Nnamani, state chairman of the party and the chairmen of the six local government areas in Enugu North Senatorial District, were said to have visited the clergymen to solicit their support in the 2023 general election.
Ugwu who said the clarification was imperative to set the records straight and avoid misleading the public on the matter, said they had a good interaction with the deputy governorship candidate, Mr Ossai who represented the governorship candidate, Mr Peter Mbah, adding that the rejection was in good faith, never intended to malign anyone including the candidates and governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration, but simply in line with their principle of not receiving cash in any disguise from political parties and or their candidates.
Venerable Ugwu in the statement made the following remarks about the incident:
“The Diocese resolved as a matter of principle not to receive cash in any disguise from political parties and or their candidates either as ‘Kola’ or whatever name it’s given.
“We did not reject the cash gift to malign the Enugu State Candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and or the PDP led Enugu State government under His Excellency Dr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
“We had a good interactive session with the Gubernatorial candidate ably represented by the Deputy Governorship candidate, Mr Ifeanyi Ossai, candidates of other offices and many other party chieftains devoid of any suspicion and bad blood.
“What they offered us was Two Million Naira only (N2,000,000:00), which we rejected as a matter of our principle.”
The man of God further stated that even though the money offered by the politicians, was rejected, they still went ahead and prayed for them and admonished them “to engage in issue-based campaigns and further promised to offer any services they will require of us as an Association or individually to enable them conduct peaceful and violent-free campaigns as we equally reminded them that it is God who gives power.”
The report had sparked wild reactions among residents of the state in the past few days, with some alleging that the cash gift offer was a subtle attempt to induce the Anglican clergy to support them during the 2023 general election.
Another report also indicated that about a fortnight ago, PDP members led by Peter Mbah had given N40 million to Catholic Women Organisation as gift for their August meeting and was shared by the members present.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
