Kukah played politics with Easter message – Presidency

The Presidency on Sunday knocked the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, over his Easter message.

The cleric had criticized President Muhammadu Buhari and his government over the grave security situation in Nigeria in his message to the citizens.

In the message titled: “Nigeria: Before our glory departs,” Kukah said the country’s predicament reminded him of Israel’s situation that led to the death of Eli, the great high priest of Israel.

However, the Presidency in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, said the Catholic bishop did not speak like a man of God in his Easter message.

He also accused Kukah of playing partisan politics by dragging President Buhari into the Hijab dispute in Kwara State in the message.

The presidential aide described the bishop’s criticism of the President as ungodly.

Shehu charged the cleric not to allow ideology to stand in the way of facts and fairness, adding that some of Kukah’s submissions in the message were unacceptable.

He said: “All citizens have their individual ideologies, even their own versions of the truth.

“But if you profess to be 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.

READ ALSO: Bishop Kukah blames govt for increased banditry, kidnapping

“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?

“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.”

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