Anglican Church urges Buhari to resign over ill-health

The Enugu Diocese (Anglican Communion) says President Muhammadu Buhari’s long ill health has impeded the growth of the nation and urged him to resign from office if he is unable to discharge his duties.

The Church also asked the Federal Government to make public the outcome of the investigations of the special panel headed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo over the large sums of money recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a private apartment in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi in Lagos as well as the arms recovered by the Customs.

In a communiqué issued yesterday at the end of her third session of the 16th Synod, held at the Christ Redemption Church, Ogui –Nike, the Church, which however expressed compassion over the President’s present situation, noted that the development had kept him “away for too long” and enjoined him to resign owing to ill health.

The diocese further expressed worries over the October 1 quit notice on Igbo resident in the north by the Arewa youths and the hate speeches from some of their leaders. They warned against the repetition of the pogrom of 1967 and called on the Federal Government to ensure adequate protection of the lives and property of Igbos residing in the north. The church further urged Igbos to refrain from making inflammatory speeches on the development.

The Church, which commended the Federal Government on the war against corruption and corrupt practices noted however that informing Nigerians about the outcome of investigations on the recovered money would further boost their support in the fight.

The communiqué signed by Most Rev Emmanuel Chukwuma, the Archbishop/Bishop, Ven. Augustine Orah, the Synod Secretary and Sir HBC Ogboko, the Registrar, also implored the EFCC to “abate media trials of suspects in their custody and ensure the conclusion of investigation before arraignment and prosecution of alleged offenders.”

The Synod condemned the gruesome killing of Christians in Southern Kaduna and expressed disappointment that no arrests, prosecution and conviction of the culprits have been secured since the heinous act was committed.

The Church demanded that perpetrators of the acts should be brought to book in the interest of justice and fairness, stressing that perpetrators of crimes have indulged in further unholy activities because they have been treated with kid gloves.

On health care delivery, the Church condemned the state of dilapidation of basic and frequent industrial actions by health-care professionals as well as medical tourism among government officials, observing however that there was need for declaration of state of emergency in the national health sector.

The Synod expressed dissatisfaction that the power situation in the country had degenerated with electricity tariff on the increase and called on the Federal Government to compel the distribution companies, particularly the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) distribute prepaid meters and avoid the imposition of estimated bills.