The Nigerian presidency has hit out at Matthew Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto diocese over his Easter’s message, saying “he did not speak like a man of God” and describing the sermon which was critical of the Muhammadu Buhari administration as ungodly.
Bishop Kukah had in his Easter Message on Sunday criticised the federal government over the grave security situation in Nigeria.
But in a vociferous reaction to the bishop’s Easter message, presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said Mr Kukah is playing partisan politics by dragging the President into it.
“All citizens have their individual ideologies, even their own versions of truth,” the presidential aide, Shehu said.
“But if you profess to being a man of God, as Father Mathew Hassan Kukah does, ideology should not stand in the way of facts and fairness.
“Father Kukah has said some things that are inexplicable in his Easter message.
“But, in saying that the Boko Haram terrorism is worse than it was in 2015, he did not speak like a man of God. Kukah should go to Borno or Adamawa to ask the citizens there the difference between 2014 and 2021. Furthermore, the Hijab issue in Kwara State on which he dwelt is a state matter which the courts of the land have adjudicated. They are matters that have appeared in several states as far back as the Obasanjo administration. In all of that, when and where did the name of President Buhari feature?
“He is playing partisan politics by dragging the President into it.
“An administration that has created a whole Ministry, for the first time in the country’s history, appropriating enormous resources to it, to deal with issues of internally displaced persons cannot, in all rightfulness be accused of not caring for them.
“Some of the comments are no more than a sample of the unrestrained rhetoric Fr. Kukah trades in, which he often does in the guise of a homily.
“We urge well-meaning citizens to continue to support the ongoing efforts by the administration to secure the country and move it forward.”
By Abel Ejikeme
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