2023: Catholic Church Organises Town-Hall Meeting With Political Aspirants In Enugu

The Nsukka Diocese of the Catholic Church has initiated town-hall meetings between contestants of all political parties and the electorate ahead of the 2023 general elections.

THE WHISTLER reports that the platform is an initiation of the political enlightenment unit of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the diocese. The inaugural meeting held weekend at St Jacob’s Catholic Church, Orba, in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State. Contestants for State House of Assembly and those of the House of Representatives for Udenu/Igboeze North Federal Constituency were interrogated.

Labour Party, through its state public relations officer, Ibuchukwu Ezike told our correspondent, Sunday, that the platform was novel as it provided the contestants the opportunities to market their manifestoes. He however demanded that those manifestoes be written for future references.

According to him, “We as the Labour Party see this as not only an impactful programme but a novel one. I thank the Catholic Church of Nsukka Diocese. It is a brilliant and credible programme of assessing the candidates.”

He also called for post-election town-hall meetings where elected representatives would give accounts of their stewardships.

Quoting him, “We should have their written manifestoes, read and kept for assessing them tomorrow because most of these politicians can talk, but immediately they win, it becomes a case of a monkey given water with a cup. You will lose both the water and the cup.

“We hardly ever have access to most of these politicians after the elections until another four years. The church as a very strong and organised institution should be organizing post-election town-hall meetings for the successful ones, say quarterly, to be able to access their performances. This way the candidates will pick up because the people are monitoring them. Talking is absolutely different from acting or working and only politicians who work their talks are those that I cherish.”

Rev Fr Dr Emeka Ngwoke, head of the public enlightenment unit of Justice, Development and Peace Commission of the diocese, had earlier said the diocese began the enlightenment to create political consciousness among the populace.

According to him, “Political enlightenment in the diocese is a big business. It is civic education. A populace that is ignorant about how a society functions is dangerous. Some of us wear the barge of political apathy as honour. Even some educated ones do nothing to solve societal problems, and they proudly declare their political apathy.”
Our correspondent reports that Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) is a structural response to the Second Vatican Council Appealing for the church’s involvement in the affairs and development of the society. It is geared toward a positive change in the human condition, such as poverty, religious bigotry, election malpractices, diseases and injustice.

The interactions run from 3rd December, 2022 to 4th February, 2023, with the grand-finale being the interactions of candidates of senatorial and governorship seats. It will hold at the St Theresa’s Cathedral, Nsukka.