'We're solidly behind President,' Catholic Bishops declare

The President of the Conference, Ignatius Kaigama, stated this while speaking to newsmen after leading 16 bishops to a meeting with Buhari on Monday, May 2.

”Since 1960, the Catholic bishops have been talking against corruption, telling people to avoid it,” he said.

“It is a cancer, it is dangerous, it is a sickness and it is a social disease. We have assured the president that we are 100 per cent with him in his fight against corruption.

“With corruption, we can’t progress. With corruption, everything goes wrong, immorality takes over, retrogression takes place. So corruption is a huge obstacle that has to be dismantled.”

Kaigama commended the President's strategies to improving the country and mobilising all Nigerians to selflessly put in their best.

“We assured the president of our prayers, moral support and our desire to cooperate. In Catholic Church, whether it is education, healthcare or social services, we have done quite a lot over the years,” he said.

“With the willing disposition of the president and his attitude of embracing everyone, we felt we should spell out some areas of closer collaboration.

“We found him a sincere man with great sense of dedication. He wants the best of this nation. We also want the best for this nation.

“He agrees that not everyone is working as he expects. There are some who are clogs in the wheel of progress. We are praying and hoping that such people will see that Nigeria is greater than all of us, that we should develop patriotic disposition and our aspiration should be to put this country first.

“With that, criminalities and other things that are anti-social will give way. We have every hope. We only need to be a little more patient.”

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He said the President also highlighted the difficulties and challenges his administration is facing.

“‎We understood him fully. We equally call on Nigerians to give the president a chance. He is sincere, he is dedicated, he is committed and together, we shall make on wonderful progress,” he said.

Also commenting on the recent attack on the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja‎, John Onaiyekan, he described it as one of the acts of criminality that is witnessed in Nigeria.