Ngige Did Not Slap Any Priest

The Catholic Diocese of Awka yesterday denied reports by a section of the media that Senator Chris Ngige slapped a Reverend Father, Everistus Ezeokwenna at the burial of the former Bishop of the Diocese,late Paulinus Ezeoke.

Speaking at a news conference at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Awka, the Anambra State capital, the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Chuddy Peter Akaenyi said that there was no iota of truth in such reports.

Akaenyi described as unfortunate, a situation whereby such rumour found spaces on the pages of some newspapers as well as in the electronic media.

His words: “Senator Chris Ngige attended the funeral ceremony of mother of our bishop on the October 24, this year. He was among many other dignitaries that graced the occasion and what I am hearing now is very strange to me. I was there and I did not see what people are saying now or writing in the press.

”I want to tell you that the reports that Senator Ngige slapped a Reverend Father is absolutely false and I repeat, absolutely false. Anybody or group of persons may decide to say anything to achieve anything. But we are not in politics and nobody can use the church for any political interest.

”Three policemen were being stopped by Father (Everistus) but some people in their rudeness and desperation to enter the place pushed the gate open and many people who were not invited surged into the place.

”The policemen that pushed the gate open were not attached to Ngige and they did not even attack or slap the Rev. Father as alleged.

The three police officers came back and apologized to the Father for being rude at the gate. They apologized to him one by one.”

He said that Ngige had even left the scene when the said incident happened and he had to call Ngige back to the venue to identify whether the policemen were his security details.

According to him, Ngige came back andsaid that they were not attached to him.

Akaenyi stressed that the three policemen forcefully and rudely opened the gate to the premises during the burial however, came with another dignitary while their master was entering the place.

He pointed out that no Catholic priest would have granted interview to the press on the matter without permission from the diocese as reported in some of the print and electronic media.

Speaking separately on the matter, Senator Ngige who is the All Progressive Congress, APC governorship candidate said the report was the handiwork of APGA, which he said was “sinking and now looking for any straw to hold.”

According to Ngige, it would have been the height of irresponsibility for a soldier of Christ like him to slap a representative of Jesus Christ for any reason.

Source:Vanguard.