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 choseSundayOnyebuchi, 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".
--LIB