Anglican Church opposes Catholic-Catholic ticket in Enugu guber race

                             

The Anglican Communion Bishops in Enugu state have opposed the Catholic-Catholic Gubernatorial ticket of the PDP in the state for next year's general election.

Speaking to newsmen in Enugu under the aegis of the Enugu Ecclesiastical Province yesterday Dec. 17th, the Anglican Bishops led by Archbishop of the Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev Emmanuel Chukwuma demanded that the Enugu chapter of the PDP, zone the governorship running mate slot to one of its members otherwise they stand the chance of loosing the Anglican Church's votes in next year's election. 

The Bishops said they welcomed the party's consensus gubernatorial candidate, Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who is a Catholic but are opposed to the Catholic/Catholic governorship ticket of the party..

“We the Anglican Bishops are crying and appealing that Anglicans in Enugu state will not tolerate marginalisation and should be giving the position of deputy governor of the state.  For the position of governor and deputy governor to be Catholic/Catholic will not be acceptable to us. In the Federal level, people are not happy with Christian/Christian ticket, hence the president has taken a very good stand to return as President and pick a Moslem as his running mate. Why should Enugu State, therefore, nominate a Roman Catholic governorship candidate who we are not against and wanting again to nominate a Roman Catholic as the running mate? We Anglicans say no to this kind of arrangement. We are not in minority in Enugu state and we totally reject that intention and are warning that if they want peace to reign in this state and for them to enjoy our cooperation, it should not be Roman Catholic/ Roman Catholic ticket”the bishops said.

The Bishops went further to say that 

“Former Governor of the State, Chimaroke Nnamani who served from 1999 to 2007 is a Methodist. He picked Okechukwu Itanyi, a Catholic as his Deputy. Nnamani handed over to Sullivan Chime who is Roman Catholic. Sullivan chose Sunday Onyebuchi, a Methodist or so, not an Anglican as Deputy. As they are going out, all those who want to become governor are Catholics and in the PDP, they are plotting to make their running mate a Catholic. We are saying give us an Anglican Deputy, otherwise you are looking for our trouble".