Catholic priests to fight abortion law in Imo

OWERRI — Priests of the Catholic Ecclesiastical Province
of Owerri, have started strategizing to tackle the anti-life
legislation recently signed into law by Governor Rochas
Okorocha.
Vanguard investigation revealed that the clerics held their
first meeting last Thursday at Maria Assumpta Cathedral,
Owerri.
Feelers from the meeting chaired by His Grace, Dr.
Anthony J. V. Obinna, revealed that one of the major
issues discussed was the controversial abortion law foisted
on the people by the state.
One of the priests said: “We met to properly position
ourselves to effectively battle the controversial abortion
law recently signed by Governor Rochas Okorocha.”
Gov Okorocha
Meanwhile, Archbishop Obinna has called for immediate
abrogation of the state laws containing what he termed
“anti-life legislation” signed by Okorocha and his
predecessor, Chief Achike Udenwa in 2012 and 2007
respectively.
Archbishop Obinna, who was visibly angry as he spoke on
a number of issues, including the controversial abortion
law and this year’s Odenigbo Lecture, insisted that all anti-
life laws in the state must be abrogated.
“We are calling for immediate abrogation of all anti-life
legislations in the state. Although the church will not be
mirred in the nation’s murky waters of partisan politics, it
will, however, continue to demonstrate interest in the
nation’s democratic process for the common good of the
citizenry.”
He expressed regret that after beating a regret that
followed public outcry in 2010, the State House of
Assembly eventually legalized the evil of abortion,
Governor Rochas Okorocha quietly signed the state Law
number 12 of 2012.
According to the fiery Archbishop, this new law, which was
signed May 29, 2012, Nigeria’s Democracy Day, contains
obnoxious and lethal provisions.
“This new law contains obnoxious and lethal provisions.
This law threatens many conceived but unborn children
with imminent death. This is unacceptable, anti-life and
unchristian,” Obinna said.
The Catholic cleric equally descended on former Governor
Udenwa for assenting to “the Gender and Equal
Opportunity Law Number 7 of 2007”.
The cleric noted that some sections of the law also
legalized abortion without considering the right of the
conceived, unborn child or the helplessness of the unborn
baby.
He said: “Since abortion amounts to murder of the
helpless, hapless child, we as God fearing people in Imo
State, cannot standby and allow this law to rampage our
society in the name of Women’s Reproductive and Gender
Rights.”
On the forthcoming Owerri Archdiocesan Day and
Odenigbo Lecture, Obinna explained that the former vice
chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor
Peter Ejiofor, had been chosen as the lecturer, while the
topic is “Igbo progressive welfare”.