Catholic Knights in Abia State have dissociated themselves from another Catholic group that called for replacement of Appeal Court judges as a result of perceived lack of public confidence in them (judges).

The Catholic Network of Nigeria (CNN), which claimed that its membership comprised of Knights and others, recently staged a protest in Bende, headquarters of Bende Local Government Area, to press home their demand for removal of the judges of the Appeal Court of Owerri Division. They said they have no confidence that the judges, as presently constituted, would do justice to election petitions brought before them from Abia State.

Their call has also prompted the State Government to call on the Catholic Church to expose the “faceless” group, urging the authorities and the public to disregard their utterances.

Reacting to the CNN protest, the Knights of St. Mulumba of the Catholic Church, Umuahia Diocese, on Monday distanced themselves from the position of the group.

The liaison Grand Knight of Umuahia, Sir Nwanevu Christopher, who spoke on behalf of the Knights, said the Catholic Church is not partisan and does not support partisan politics or the aspiration of a political party.

According to Sir Christopher, “What the catholic Church does is to advise politicians to play by the rules just as it did before the last elections by inviting candidates of various political parties to say what they intend to do for the people.”

He further explained that the Catholic Church has nothing to do with decisions of the court and does not set up groups to interfere in such matters, adding that the church has no right to direct the actions of judges of a court.

Sir Christopher was categorical that CNN was not known or directed by the church to embark on such protest, stressing that the Catholic Church could not support the protest or be part of it.

The Grand Knight was emphatic that no Catholic Bishop or church member would support CNN’s action, maintaining that the church would formally react to the development.

Also reacting to the issue, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Godwin Adindu, alleged that investigations revealed that CNN was a contrivance by desperate politicians of the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to unnecessarily drag the church into politics.

Adindu said the aim of the group was to use the name of the church to settle political scores, describing their venture as ungodly.

The CPS said that the Catholic Church was a non-partisan organisation that stands for social justice, good governance and the progress of the society. He added that the church respects the rule of law and “as a responsible institution, it cannot be instigated into denigrating the sanctity of the judiciary.”

Adindu, therefore, on behalf of the State Government, enjoined the Catholic Church in the state and the country as a whole to rise in condemnation of the ill-conceived attempt by an unknown group in Bende community to drag its name to the mud.

He called on all institutions of Knights of the Catholic Church, the Council of Bishops and other constituted authorities to “stand up and defend the sacred institution of God.” He also urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Appeal Court and the entire judiciary to ignore the musings of the CNN, which he dismissed as a faceless group.

•Photo shows Appeal Court President, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.

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