President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday hailed the appointment of Bishop Peter Okpaleke of Ekwulobia Diocese on his appointment as a Cardinal by Pope Francis.
Three days ago, Pope Francis announced Bishop Okpaleke’s appointment as well as 20 new cardinals to be created for the church on August 27.
Reacting to the move, Buhari in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, “commended the Pope for finding a capable Nigerian in the person of Bishop Okpaleke to be one of the two nominees from the African continent and congratulated the Nigerian Christian Community on this choice”.
He described the Cardinal-designate as ably qualified, saying that having him in that position will benefit the country.
“President Muhammadu Buhari expresses happiness with the appointment of Bishop Peter Okpaleke of Ekwulobia Diocese, Anambra State, as a Cardinal in the Catholic Church by Pope Francis,” the statement read.
“Bishop Okpaleke becomes the fourth Cardinal from Nigeria. Others before him are Francis Arinze, Anthony Okogie, and John Onaiyekan.”
Buhari also commended the commitment of the Catholic Church to the unity, peace, and progress of the Nigerian state.
This is even as he highlighted the effort of the Church in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic as well as its support and commitment in favour of the poor and most vulnerable members of the society.