Archbishop Matthew Audu, Catholic Archbishop Archdiocese of Jos has said the apology of Gov. Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau State over his claim of Pope Francis’ endorsement of his appointment as Director General of APC Muslim-Muslim ticket presidential campaign has been accepted. Archbishop Audu made this known Tuesday, June 16 in Jos at the opening Mass for the 2022 General Assembly of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos. The Archbishop disclosed that the church encourages its members to go into politics to make a difference, as well as stand for truth, justice and fairness at all times. He said that since the President of Catholic Bishops of Nigeria has accepted Lalong’s apology, so has all the Bishops, as he advised the governor to be certain he made a sincere apology and not time buying.
According to the Archbishop, “We encourage Catholics to go into politics to a make difference, but where you cannot make a difference, learn to say no. As a leader, learn to consult widely before taking any critical decision,” he said. He advised Nigerians, particularly Catholics to desist from making unpalatable statements against the governor and urged them to pray for him at all times. On the APC Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, Archbishop Audu advised politicians to desist from actions that would further tear the country apart. Lalong, who was at the event as Special Guest of Honour, said that his comment was misconstrued to be disrespectful to the Pope. The Governor, who said he was human and could make mistakes, sought for forgiveness from Catholics all over the world. He thanked the Catholic Church for playing key roles in achieving relative peace in the state, as he urged the church to support government policies and programmes. He urged politicians to unite and work towards the progress and development of the state, insisting that such unity was needed for growth of the state.
