APC job: Lalong apologises to Catholic Bishops over comment about Pope

Plateau State Governor and Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Simon Lalong, has sent an apology to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) following his comment against the Holy Father, Pope Francis.

Lalong's apology comes amid wide criticisms that followed his remarks about the Catholic Pontiff.

How it started: Recall that the Plateau Governor recently accepted to lead the campaign council of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima's single faith ticket despite pressures from certain quarters, especially from Christian circles, on him to turn down the offer.

While justifying his decision to answer the party's duty call, Lalong argued that he had no reason to reject the offer because the Pope hadn't asked him to do so.

Catholics react: Meanwhile, concerned members of the church swiftly condemned Lalong's attempt to drag the Holy Pope into matters of Nigerian politics, describing his comment as "blasphemous."

A group under the aegis of Concerned Catholics of Nigeria also called on the Catholic Church to, as a matter of urgency, impose necessary punishment on the governor, who is a Papal Knight of St. Gregory, over his utterance.

Lalong retracts: Realising his transgression, Lalong, in a letter to the CBCN on Friday, August 12, 2022, admitted that it was an error on his part to have linked the revered Pope with Nigeria's politics.

As contained in the letter, the Governor restated his commitment to the Catholic faith and promised to continue to be a good representative of the Christian faith in public life.

The letter read: “I have followed with some shock and deep regret, the reactions that have trailed my appointment as the Director-General of the Campaign Council for the presidential candidate of our party, the APC, Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Ibrahim Shettima.

“The appointment, understandably was received with mixed reactions across the Christian community, who genuinely feel aggrieved by the decision of our party to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“While many people commended me for the appointment and saw it as a way of remaining within the system to fight for our own interests, others cast aspersions on it on the grounds that our faith had been insulted and denigrated.

“In the course of this, many of my opponents turned the issue into a political weapon with some spreading rumours and questioning the integrity of my credentials as a Catholic and a Papal Knight.

“In trying to make my case, I have granted interviews to justify why I believe that the appointment did not in any way undermine my commitment to the Catholic Church.

“During the week, in the course of defending myself, I had cause to make reference to my credentials as a Catholic and a Papal Knight. In the process, I made reference to the Holy Father.

“I now realise that this was an error on my part and has caused some level of concern and even embarrassment to many, especially the Members of the family of Papal Knights to which I belong.

“I now understand that I may have overreached myself in the course of trying to defend my personal decision in accepting this appointment and thus, the reference to the holy father was not intended as an act of disrespect to his exalted and revered office.

“Your Grace, by this written letter, I wish to tender my unreserved apologies and ask for their understanding and forgiveness from my brothers in the Catholic faith and, through you, the entire members of the Bishops’ Conference, our Fathers and our leaders.

“My commitment to the Catholic faith, to which I belong, remains unreserved and undiluted. I will continue to uphold the banner of my faith in public life as I have done over the years.

“You may recall, Your Grace, that in the last five or thereabout years, I have been at the forefront of facilitating our dialogue as politicians with you our fathers in the faith. I remain committed to this and pray that you will continue to encourage us as we ascend the slippery slope of politics.”

Pulse had earlier reported that a Northern Christian group had commended the decision of the APC to appoint Lalong as its Director General of Presidential Campaign Council.