The Catholic Church on Monday clarified the recent transfer of Father Ejike Mbaka, saying the controversial priest was merely being sent to where he would be more useful to the church.

In its first reaction since the controversy over the transfer broke, the church church said the posting was not meant to be punitive.

In an exclusive interview on Monday, the Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretar?iat of Nigeria, Reverend Father Ralph Madu said transfer of priests within the catholic church is a “normal church procedure.”

“Mbaka’s own is not an exception,” Mr. Madu said. “The Bishop has the right to post any priest wherever he feels his service would be more useful to the church.”

Public criticisms had greeted the Enugu Diocese’s recent decision to transfer Mr. Mbaka out of Christ the King Parish?, GRA, where he had served for over a decade and had established a popular prayer ministry, the Adoration Prayer Ministry.

Mr. Mbaka is to resume immediately at his new post at the Our Lady Parish, Emene.

The priest, who is as fiery as he is controversial, had described his ?re-posting by the church as a “calculated move” to make him suffer.

“I know we are going to suffer within now and few months to come,” the priest said. I am going to suffer and suffer; I know that. I’m going to suffer because I have no place to put my head. I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the Adoration Ministry’s assets. I know I’m going to suffer.”

On Sunday, the South-East zone of the All Progressives Congress alleged that Bishop Callistus Onaga was manipulated by external forces into effecting Mr. Mbaka’s transfer.

“As a party, we have watched with concern and trepidation the criticism, the attack, assault and unpleasant comments hurled against Fr. Mbaka since he providentially prophesied that President Buhari would win the 2015 elections,” the APC said in a statement by Osita Okechukwu, Spokesperson of its South-East caucus.

“Even the church did not spare him; he was called unprintable names, yet his prophecy came true.”

Credit: PremiumTimes