Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has tendered unreserved apologies to the Pope saying he overreached himself while trying to defend his decision in accepting his appointment as the Director-General of the Campaign Council for the Presidential Candidates of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Ibrahim Shettima.
Recall that Governor Lalong recently while backing the Muslim-Muslim ticket after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, said as a Catholic with the highest Papal award of Knight of Saint Gregory, the Pope had not told him what he was doing was wrong.
Lalong’s letter of apology dated Friday, August 12, 2022, was addressed to the Archbishop of Owerri and President, Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji.
In the letter sighted by NewsNet Nigeria Lalong said: “I have followed with some shock and deep regret, the reactions that have trailed my appointment as the Director-General of the Campaign Council for the Presidential Candidates of our Party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Ibrahim Shettima. The appointment understandably was received with mixed reactions across the Christian community who genuinely feel aggrieved by the decision of our party to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket. While many people commended me for the appointment and saw it as a way of remaining within the system to fight for our own interests, others cast aspersions on it on the grounds that our faith had been insulted and denigrated.
“In the course of this, many of my opponents turned the issue into a political weapon with some spreading rumours and questioning the integrity of my credentials as a Catholic and a Papal Knight. In trying to make my case, I have granted interviews to justify why I believe that the appointment did not in any way undermine my commitment to the Catholic Church. During the week, in the course of defending myself, I had cause to make reference to my credentials as a Catholic and a Papal Knight. In the process, I made reference to the Holy Father.
“I now realise that this was an error on my part and has caused some level of concern and even embarrassment to many especially the Members of the family of Papal Knights to which I belong. I now understand that may I have overreached myself in the course of trying to defend my personal decision in accepting this appointment and thus, the reference to the holy father was not intended as an act of disrespect to his exalted and revered office.
“Your Grace, by this written letter, I wish to tender my unreserved apologies and ask for their understanding and forgiveness from my brothers in the Catholic faith and, through you, the entire members of the Bishops Conference, our fathers and our Leaders. My commitment to the Catholic faith to which I belong remains unreserved and undiluted. I will continue to uphold the banner of my faith in public life as I have done over the years.
“You may recall, Your Grace that in the last five or so years, I have been at the forefront of facilitating our dialogue as politicians with you our fathers in the faith. I remain committed to this and pray that you will continue to encourage us as we ascend the slippery slope of politics.”
