Buhari’s govt marked by nepotism, Nigerians more vulnerable than in 2015 — Kukah

The Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Matthew Hassan-Kukah, said on Sunday that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was characterized by nepotism.

Kukah, who stated this in his Christmas message titled: “Nigeria: Let Us Turn A New Page,” argued that the present administration would leave Nigerians more vulnerable than they were in 2015.

The statement was made available to journalists by the Director of Social Communications in the Diocese, Rev. Fr Christopher Omotosho.

The cleric decried the crises ravaging the country despite the lofty promises made by President Buhari about eight years ago.

He, however, commended the government for its efforts at developing the country’s infrastructure and improving the electoral processes.

Kukah, therefore, called for a change of strategy and charged Nigerians to choose leaders who would be passionate about the country.

The cleric is one of the fiercest critics of the Buhari administration and he had pointed out the government’s failings in the economy, security and the anti-graft crusade, among others in the last seven-and-half years.

He said: “Mr. President, it is sad that despite your lofty promises, you are leaving us far more vulnerable than when you came, that the corruption we thought would be fought has become a leviathan and sadly, a consequence of a government marked by nepotism.

“In my Christmas Message last year, I pointed out the fact that you had breached the Constitution by your failure to honour and adhere to the federal character provisions of our Constitution. The evidence is before us all.

Read also:Bishop Kukah begs Nigerians to resist ‘evil politicians with evil agenda’

“Although the responses to my messages suggest that generally, Nigerians listen to our voices in the wilderness. However, the deliberate culture of pauperization and destitution of our people continues.

“Before our eyes, the capital letters that spelt Nigeria are falling to the pressures and irruptive forces of primal ethnoreligious nationalisms. Before our eyes, a dubious jihadist culture has held our nation to ransom with the government simply looking away.

“We have paid the price of nepotism by entrusting power into the hands of mediocres who operate as a cult and see power purely as an extension of the family heirloom.

“We need a change of strategy so that we can turn a new page. We need a new strategy to confront those who sit on the throne of power in arrogance and are determined to reduce our country to a jungle.

“We need a new strategy that separates men and women of honour from those who have chosen dishonour. We need a new strategy that provides a clearer moral guide for ordinary citizens who, based on the moral strength of culture and religion, are seeking to build a good society, even if with straws. We need to stand up and stand firm. We need new mechanisms for saying no to the violence of governance.

“This is the last Christmas for this present administration Let us all do our duty as we have a chance to choose new leaders. Do not be cynical. God is not done with us. Choose leaders who, in your view will love us, will care for us, will cry with us, will laugh with us. Look ahead and do not look back.”

By Abdulkabeer Ambali

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