By Cross Udo
Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the Knights of Saint Mulumba (KSM), Nigeria, has said the 21st Century governance requires that the next president should have the physical and mental energy.

KSM, which is a group in the Catholic Church, also said the qualities to be considered in the choice of a presidential candidate are character, competence, professionalism, and capacity.

The Worthy Supreme Knight of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba, Sir Charles Mbelede, stated this while fielding questions from journalists during the 43rd Supreme Council Convention in Abuja.

He said that the KSM advocates for peace, stability, and a united Nigeria, adding that the qualities to be considered above any other thing from the presidential candidates are character, competence, professionalism, and capacity.

Mbelede said, “What we require is stable governance, peaceful and mental intelligence. It is a done deal because with the people canvassing we already know their plus and minuses.

“For KSM Nigeria, we have been at the cutting edge, trying to advocate for peace in our day-to-day interactions. We have advocated for peace and a stable country. What we stand for is peace, a stable and united country.

“What we support is to vote for a candidate with character, competence, professionalism, and capacity and also to sensitize all of us that the 21st-century governance requires physical and mental energy.”

In his address at the Convention, the Worthy Supreme Knight said that the Order is concerned like other discerning Nigerians with the state of insecurity and other challenges in various parts of the country, noting that it has adversely affected sustainable peace and development.

According to him, “We have also as part of our commitment to speak truth to power and serve as the voice of the voiceless, continued to defend the more vulnerable groups.

“We have recently, as part of our media advocacies, spoken against the unbridled killings of Catholic Priests and indeed Nigerians irrespective of their religious persuasions.

“As a highly disciplined body, we demand that justice must be served at all times and will continue to abhor all forms of impunity and lawlessness. We came out boldly to condemn the senseless invasion of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo on Pentecost Sunday earlier in the year in which 60 worshippers, including two of our promising members and their ward, were killed.

“In two different press statements, ‘Knights of St. Mulumba condemns unprovoked aggression and targeted assaults on Catholic Priests’ and ‘Unacceptable acts of violent extremism on Christians and the Catholic Church by Islamic Extremists in Nigeria’ the Order condemned in its entirety the carnage at Owo and the mindless murder of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto and urged the authorities to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book while we continue to pray for the happy repose of their souls.”

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He further said, “I cannot end this address without commending Nigerians for their resilience and ability to absorb the harsh realities of the current economic climate and worsening insecurity in the country.

“The earning ability of Nigerians keeps plunging steadily because of the headline inflation index for goods and services. We urge the government to endeavour to reverse the trend.”

Mbelede said as an avowed Catholic Society, charity and selfless giving have from time to time immemorial been a pillar of Christianity, a virtue drawn from Christ himself, who paid the supreme sacrifice by dying to redeem the world.

He said that the Order of the KSM expended N65m to provide palliatives and succour to those on the lower end of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.