The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto has the right to express an opinion, argues Sonnie Ekwowusi
I had thought the media trial of Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Matthew Hassan Kukah over his 2020 Christmas Message had ended. But I was mistaken. The trial, for all you know, has just reached its crescendo. Last Wednesday the Buhari Presidency joined the hordes of accusers preferring charges against Bishop Kukah. Prompted by the increasing bloodletting and insecurity of lives and property and the general hopelessness in Nigeria, Bishop Kukah had in his 2020 Christmas Message regretted that the Buhari government was not living up to public expectation and therefore needed to re-invent itself in order to tackle the bloodletting ad existential challenges confronting the nation instead of foisting a Northern hegemony that is counterproductive and damaging to national interest.
By Dele Sobowale
“Under this administration, life has lost its value, and more and more citizens are coming under the influence of criminals. We do not see any willingness on the part of President Buhari to honour his oath to provide security for Nigerians. In civilised nations, leaders who fail so spectacularly to provide security will do the honourable thing and resign” – Northern Elders Forum, December, 2020.
“Nowhere is safe under Buhari, Sultan-led JNI laments” – News Report, DECEMBER 3, 2020, p 8.
Bashing Buhari has now become the national past-time. Individuals and groups who one would have assumed would stay with Buhari to the end are now the most vocal in calling for the President’s ouster. In addition to the Northern Elders Forum, and the Jama’atu Nastril Islam, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, just fell short of asking the President to resign.