Thursday, 22 January 2015

Rights Commission Accuse Father Mbaka, Gov Fayose Of Breaking Electoral Law

The Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chidi Odinkalu, has said that en Enugu-based Catholic priest Ejike Mbaka breached the electoral act twice by his “in-the-pulpit” comments on political matters.


In November, Dame Patience Jonathan, Nigeria’s first lady, paid him a visit at his Adoration ground and Father Mbaka showed his support for incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
He mocked those asking Jonathan to rescue the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, saying that the girls were not in the captivity of the president.

Later in his New Year address, Mbaka had said that President Jonathan “must go” for failing to herd the nation out of the woods, and described him as “bad luck.”


Odinkalu, reacting to Mbaka’s comments at a media conference, noted that the priest broke Section 95 of the Electoral Act.
He breached the law twice; first when he showed support for President Jonathan and when he later showed support for Muhammadu Buhari. We must not put a reverend father above the law nor beneath the law.”

Odinkalu also labeled Ayo Fayose’s death-wish advert in some national newspapers on Monday as “hate speech”, saying the action was unfortunate seeing the office he occupies, and expressing happiness that violence did not break out as a result of his advertisement.

He disclosed that the NHRC was setting up an election violence incident centre, which would tackle hate-speech. He said that the centre would document all cases of hate speech and name their perpetrators.

Nigerians have seen enough blood. We must not let what happened in Kenya happen here,” he said.

Politics is for living people. Hate speech should not have a place in our polity because it leads to violence. Politics in our country must be humane. Politicians have the duty to invite our people to discover the angels of their nature.“

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