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Papal Knights plot bloc vote in 2027 election for credible candidates
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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Pope Leo XIV, represented by the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, His Excellency Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, has called for Christian unity and strategic action to end Christian persecution in Nigeria.
He made the call during his speech and homily at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, to flag off a three-day conference by the Association of Papal Knights and Medallists (AKPM) in Owerri, the Imo State capital, at the weekend.
The conference, with the theme “Papal Knights and Strategic Engagements in Addressing Christian Persecution in Nigeria; Toward Coordinated Response”, drew Papal Knights and Medallists from across the country.
Addressing the delegates, Archbishop Crotty said the theme was apt and deserved objective discussion.
“In her history, the universal Church has witnessed persecution of Christians in different forms. In some cases, Christians were violently attacked and killed. In some other cases Christians were oppressed by Government regimes and political leaders. In some other cases, Christians suffered discrimination and denial of their rights on account of their faith. Numerous Christians died as martyrs due to these persecutions,” he said.
He noted that in Nigeria, persecution had increased within the last two decades, especially violent forms.
“In some parts of the country, especially in the north and north central regions, Christians have been prevented from having legitimate access to lands for the construction of places of worship. In some states, Christians are discriminated against in political engagements, economic opportunities and in the acquisition of certain academic certificates,” the Nuncio said.
He lamented the wave of kidnappings, killings and destruction of churches.
“In recent years, Christians have been targeted by kidnappers and very many lay faithful and priests have been kidnapped. Many of those kidnapped were killed and others were released after ransoms were paid. Thousands of churches have been attacked and destroyed since the beginning of Boko Haram and the activities of herdsmen in more recent years.”
Archbishop Crotty warned against politicising the issue, while insisting that Christians had been specifically targeted in some parts of the country, even though people of other faiths had also suffered from insecurity.
“Our concern should be the necessary actions to take in order to bring the unnecessary killing of all citizens to an end, whether they are Christian or of other faiths,” he said.
He urged the Knights to respond with love, solidarity and coordination, and to work across communities and faiths.
“As long as some parts of the Church are affected by violence and oppression, we must live in solidarity with them, not merely by providing temporary material relief and palliatives, but by acting as advocates and voices of the voiceless. We must allow love to motivate us and not any personal or political interest.”
He cautioned against partisan divisions among Christians, saying such divisions prevented them from speaking with one voice.
“This is a season of political campaigns as Nigeria prepares for general elections early next year. I urge you to focus on truth, sincerity and integrity as you strategise on ways to respond to the persecution of Christians. Put your partisan political interests aside and speak truth to power because what matters most in this case is the fact that you are Knights and medallists who are recognised by the Church as people who stand in defence of the faith and the truth of the gospel.”
The Nuncio also thanked the association for its contributions to the growth of faith and for its support towards the establishment of the Pope St John Paul II Memorial Room at the Apostolic Nunciature, Abuja.
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In his homily at the Mass for persecuted Christians, he said practising the Christian faith remained a challenge in some parts of the country, with violent attacks, destruction of places of worship and kidnapping of priests, catechists and lay faithful.
2027: Christians have power to change government – Bishop Anagbe
Also, in a keynote address, the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Most Rev. Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, urged Christians to do the right thing in 2027 and elect the right leader.
“No politician has won up to 15 million votes. If Christians should team up together to vote a person of their choice, we have the capacity to change this government,” he told the Knights.
He said Christians could partner any government, noting that Catholics alone had a population of over 30 million.
“Let your light shine so that they give glory to your Father in heaven. Do not shut your light off from the rest of the world. We can live a life shining in the dark, we can make our light shine out from the dark,” he said.
Warning about bandit attacks, Bishop Anagbe alleged that 360 communities in the South East were inhabited by Fulani, saying the nation was sitting on a time bomb if care was not taken.
“Let’s be conscious of our environment, let the right thing be done. We should be vigilant, we have to be very careful. We have the capacity as Knights, as policy makers, we know who to meet and what to be done. We must help this country flourish, we must serve this society without fear.”
He disclosed that he lost over 20 parishes to bandits between 2020 and 2021, and that for over two decades, internally displaced persons (IDPs) had still been living in camps and needed to return to their ancestral homes, rather than be resettled elsewhere by the Federal Government.
Muslim/Muslim ticket heightens distrust – Archbishop Ugorji
In his speech, the Archbishop of Owerri and former President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, said the Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket of the APC intersected deeply with ongoing debates, fears and realities surrounding alleged Christian persecution and marginalisation.
He said that in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious secular state like Nigeria, power balancing had traditionally served as an unwritten pact to maintain peace and stability.
“It has been argued that abandoning this ethno-religious balance for pragmatic reasons of strategic and electoral math seems insensitive and appears to ignore the huge consequences of such a choice which heightens mutual suspicion and distrust among Christians and Muslims communities, deepens polarisation along religious divides, encourages faith-driven voting pattern above other considerations, feeds fear of the marginalisation of Christians at the highest level of executive power and emboldens extremists Muslims to act and speak with impunity.”
He cited the controversial remarks by Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, who recently urged the use of Muslim numerical strength to maintain a Muslim/Muslim ticket while labelling non-Muslims infidels, as an example that strengthened jihadist narratives and reinforced fear of Christian persecution.
Church at receiving end – AKPM President Adehi
The President of AKPM, Sir Steve Adehi, corroborated the concerns in his speech.
“In recent times we have witnessed wicked and calculated attacks on churches. Many parishes have closed down, many parishioners killed during Mass, many kidnapped, churches destroyed. Whether we call it genocide or destruction or coincidence, one thing is very clear, the Church is at the receiving end and a lot of Christians are being killed. These are issues which we need to sit down and discuss but no one is doing so.”
