CATHOLIC LAITY COUNCIL DEBUNKS ENDORSEMENT OF GOV HOPE UZODINMA
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
1 Based on the frontline publication of the Vanguard Newspaper on 5th September 2023 with the caption;. GOV. POLL: CATHOLIC LAITY COUNCIL BACK UZODIMMA’S SECOND TERM BID.
I wish to state categorically that our main intention for the courtesy visit was maliciously misrepresented by the press and journalist at the government house.
2 The issue is that the Provincial Laity Council held a seminar at Villa Maria Owerri from the 18th-20th August, where they elected new executive officers to direct the affairs of the Laity in the Province for the next four years.
3 Traditionally, these new executives were presented to the grand provincial patron of the Laity, Prof. Maurice Iwu on 4th September 2023, who later advised them on the necessity to have a courtesy visit to the executive governor Senator Hope Uzodimma.
4 At the interactive forum, the Laity executive councillors thanked the governor on his efforts as regards road construction in the state, and encouraged him not to relent because there remain so much nuts to be cracked.
5 The Laity executives drew his attention on the need to laise with the federal government to repair the refineries especially in the South East to reduce the cost of fuel and unemployment among our teeming Youths.
6 The Laity Council executives also advised the governor to strategize on how to maintain peace and order in the state and ensure the security of lives and property of the citizens of Imo State.
7 The governor in his response promised that with the present arrangement with the federal government, the Portharcourt refinery hopefully shall become operational by December 2023, and the palliatives to reduce the sufferings of the masses due to fuel subsidy removal shall be distributed to the grassroots.
8 Then he encouraged the Laity to live up to their slogan to be the SALT OF THE EARTH AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD, to make our country a better place to live.
9 After the discussions, we had a group photography with him and few of the executives at the government house.
10 Therefore, I declare unequivocally and maintain that our intention and visit was not politically motivated, and we never went to endorse any political candidate nor the governor for the second term because, the Laity Council as a body is meant to be non- partisan.
Yours faithfully,
Rev. Fr. Dr. Cosmas Edochie U.
Chaplain, Owerri Archdiocesan Laity Council.
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