People of Imo State have continued to react with shock to the news of the near physical attack, on Sundwerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, and the riotous atmosphere engineered by loyalists of the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Ngwoma Obube.
A report on Vanguard Newspaper quoted Chief Uche Onyeagucha, a former appointee of Governor Okorocha, as advising the controversial Governor to retrace his locus.
“It is high time Governor Okorocha calls himself to order. I understand Governor Okorocha’s desperation to run for third term, hiding at the back of his son in-law, but there must be a limit to the madness,” Onyeagucha reportedly said.
The Obinze-born politician was further quoted as saying that priests are entitled to their sermon/homily from the altar, stressing that “Imo State has not and cannot be allowed to degenerate to dictating sermons of men of God.”
The paper said that in his own reaction, the Chairman of APC Frontier, Chief Sam Godstime, condemned the reported act. His words: “We condemn in its entirety, the reported assault on our revered priest and dissociate our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, from their action. APC is a law abiding party that believes in rule of law, respect for the clergy and the church and cannot be part of this sacrilege.”
Reacting to the denials of government appointees, a former gubernatorial candidate of Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), Dr. Fabian Ihekweme, said: “Justifying an atrocity in the House of God is akin to mocking Him. Let us take it easy and thread softly when it comes to God and His oracles here on earth.
“His Grace, Archbishop Obinna, hate him or love him, represents the moral and spiritual conscience of millions of Nigerians, especially the Roman Catholics.
“There is nothing wrong with defending a system where you make a living, but everything is wrong when you play dirty with your creator. Governors come and go but God remains the same yesterday, today and forever.”
On his part, a chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Captain David Mbamara, was said to have reminded Okorocha and his loyalists that Imo is not a conquered territory.
According to him, “Violence is an ill wind that favours nobody. Indeed, it is the weak and empty that resorts to violence to cover up his inferiority complex. Okorocha and his party must know that nobody can mock God, for the judgment day must come.”
Mbamara expressed shock that APC at all levels, “have kept a conspiracy of silence, as their governor continues to terrorise, vandalise people’s property and humiliate the people he is supposed to govern.”