The founder of the Adoration Ministry, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has responded to the widespread reactions that followed his recent comments concerning insecurity and the reported abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State. Join our WhatsApp channel.
The Catholic priest, who came under criticism after a previous sermon linked rising insecurity to alleged political efforts to destabilize President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, has now released further clarification on his position.
In a trending video making rounds online, Mbaka explained that his earlier comments were not intended to excuse insecurity or shift responsibility away from elected officials. Instead, he stressed that governors across the country receive substantial security allocations and should be held accountable for the safety of residents within their states.
Governors Must Be Accountable for Security
According to Mbaka, every state government receives security votes amounting to billions of naira monthly. He argued that governors should effectively utilize these resources to protect lives and property.
The cleric questioned why state governments often place the entire burden of security on the federal government despite receiving funds specifically meant to address security challenges.
He stated that if any governor believes the federal government should take complete responsibility for securing their state, such a governor should reject the security vote and allow the federal authorities to manage the security operations directly.
His remarks have generated fresh conversations online, with many Nigerians debating the role of state governments in addressing insecurity and whether security votes are being effectively utilized.
Reference to Earlier Comments on Tinubu
Mbaka’s clarification comes days after he made a controversial statement suggesting that those seeking to remove President Tinubu from office should not use insecurity and kidnappings as a political tool.
The cleric had claimed that similar tactics were allegedly employed during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan before the 2015 general election. He urged Nigerians not to be misled by what he described as political attempts to undermine the current administration.
The comments attracted mixed reactions, with supporters agreeing with his concerns while critics accused him of politicizing insecurity and making unverified claims.
“Jonathan Decided to Fail”
During his latest sermon, Mbaka also revisited his relationship with former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to the priest, Jonathan was once his friend, but he allegedly failed to follow spiritual and political advice that could have helped him retain power. Join our WhatsApp channel.
Mbaka claimed that he advised Jonathan to remove the then Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, because he believed the electoral chief had betrayed the former president.
In his words:
“Since the governor are receiving comprehensive security votes every month, why can’t they secure their state, if you want Tinubu to secure your state reject the security vote let him hold the money and use it and be fighting for you.
Case of Jonathan is a different case Jonathan decided to fail and he failed, I told him what to do to win election and he refused, remove Jega that Jega has betrayed you but he refused, he failed because he disobeyed the advice of a man of God.”
The remarks have once again sparked debate across social media, with Nigerians expressing differing opinions on Mbaka’s views regarding governance, security, and the role of religious leaders in political discourse.
Watch the video below: