‘APC govt has lost its sense of moral direction,’ Catholic Bishops

Catholic Bishops in the Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province have said that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost its sense of moral direction and urgency.

According to Punch, the clerics also said that the APC, after two years in power, have nothing to show.

They said this in a statement signed by the Chairman of the Province, Archbishop Mathew Ndagoso, and Secretary, Bishop John Niyiring, during its second plenary meeting in Minna.

They also said “The APC-led government did not take advantage of the opportunities that our last elections presented us. Our people entrusted them with their hopes and voted across religion and region. However, the government seemed to have squandered most of that goodwill and created the conditions for the situation we are now.”

The Bishops also called on the Federal Government to adopt workable solutions that will heal the hardship faced by Nigerians.

“We are saddened by the fact that after over two years, there are still no measurable changes in the welfare of our people. The recession has not abated, the lives of ordinary people continue to hang in a balance as insecurity ravages the land.

“The party in power remains riddled in internal infighting and has thus lost a sense of moral direction and urgency. Sadly, very little has happened to assure Nigerians that they have a stake in their own country. We cannot successfully go into the next (2019) election circle in this state siege.

“Military presence cannot provide peace for our people, only a responsible leadership with a sense of humility and respect can provide the space for our people to rebuild their lives,” they added.

The Bishops also said “Businesses are closing down, abandoned projects litter everywhere, retired pensioners still wait in vain for their pensions, workers’ salaries remain unpaid, health facilities and public services continue to deteriorate and life remains hazardous for citizens.

“The nation can now feel the accumulated impact of this frustration in the agitations among the various groups. We call on our political officials to make hay while there is still a little shadow of sunshine. Perhaps more than any single group, the youth did more to bring this government to power, but they have become its victims. Sadly, very sadly, the lot of our youths has not changed.

“Unemployment still looms, a culture of strikes still endangers the future education of many young people. With the young people making up well over 50 per cent of our population, we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder.

“Resolving the problems through dialogue, our politicians continue to treat the victims as aggressors. We appeal to our people to work assiduously through dialogue and just compromises to resolve perceived imbalances and structural deficiencies in the system.”

President Muhammadu Buhari, during his speech promised Nigerians that his administration will fulfill its campaign promises.