Involve Opposition in Resolving Crises, Catholic Bishops Tell Jonathan

Ado-Ekiti — Catholic bishops in Nigeria have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to mobilize the political class, especially members of the major political parties to resolve the crises in the country.

The bishops, in a statement issued after their retreat to mark the Year of Faith in Abuja, advised the president to allow patriotism and national interests to prevail over "narrow partisan and selfish interests."

The statement made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State Tuesday was signed by Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama and Most Rev. William Avenga, president and secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) respectively.

The statement added, "At the moment of national crisis such as what we face now, patriotism and national interests should prevail over narrow partisan and selfish interests. Against this background, we urge the president to find the best way to end the crisis over the leadership of the Governors' Forum and the power tussle in Rivers State."

While commending President Jonathan for the initiatives aimed at resolving the Boko Haram onslaught, including the declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, the bishops said, "genuine amnesty should include offering pardon to repentant militants and not appeasing criminals and their sponsors to stay calm."

Calling on the members of the political class to ensure the stability of the country, the bishops condemned what it described as provocative and unguarded utterances by certain politicians, saying such were capable of threatening the corporate existence of the country.

Linking the various crises plaguing the country to the 2015 general elections, the bishops warned that the government should create a level playing field for all to aspire to any office in the land.

They lamented that what the country is witnessing is the "cumulative effect and corrosive" impact of corruption, adding that the only solution to the endemic is for all political leaders to summon the courage to use the relevant institutions of state to confront the monster.

While condoling with families of security men that lost their lives in the course of duty, the bishops called on the Federal Government to accord the families all the necessary support.

They called on all Nigerians to continue to pray for the country, saying prayer remains an "indispensable means for restoring our country to normalcy."

By Doyin Adebusuyi,