Gbolahan Salman Sokoto
Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has denied having any ambition seek for any political office now or in the nearest future.
He said the recent reactions trailing his Christmas message as baseless and have no impact on him as a person or what he stands for.
Kukah disclosed this while speaking with newsmen during his annual media chat in Sokoto at St Bakhita Sectariat on Monday. He said the message he made was based on his love for the country and has no political or ulterior motive behind it.
Bishop Kukah called on Nigerians to get the accurate statement of his speech rather than relying on different lies peddling about in his name.
He denied any plan to drop his Cassock as a Catholic Bishop to join politics, saying if he was to join politics, it would have been during the time of late Aminu Kano and not now.
“I have no plan and will never play partisan politics for any reason. Those who links to partisan politics because of my statement are only playing into gallery.
“I have always been in a political terrain. Take for instance, I have listened to some brilliant Nigerian youths making comments about Chelsea or Arsenal and have never been to England. Most of the best commentators in football barely can’t kick a ball.
“So why will someone think because Bishop Kukah is speaking therefore he is a politician, people who make this argument are totally ignorant of elementary politics and ignorant of the role of a Priest.
“I understand and I agree with Nigerians that many people have probably not seeing a Priest saying the things I am saying which is okay. A lot of people have not seeing a Priest playing a Guilter or Ludo and when they see, it surprises them.
“The truth of the matter is a lot of are into politics. Party politics, no. I am not a member of any political party and I cannot be, if it comes to voting, I do my right.
“Whatever I said can please or displeased anyone, but that is my own opinion and doesn’t stop others from saying their own opinion. If you think my motive is wrong, say yours.
“I have no problem with Muslims, Christians or any other religion but what I don’t like is when someone is using religion issue to play politics, it is wrong.
“I have wrong feelings about our society, our life and how we run things in Nigeria. There cannot be a good Muslim or good Christians without a good Nigeria”
“My major concern is how to bring Nigeria back on track devoid of Killings, attacks or whatever. The kind of problems we faced in the last few years is really troubling.
“Loss of lives and a lot of people that cannot go home because of their community that has been taken over by criminals.
“Frankly, let me tell you the truth, I have not been able to read every comment or reaction to my statement but again people who knows me knew I won’t take offence about what people say or disagree with me.
“I have said it severally that this country is extraordinary fear with and you are in the media. I say my mind not that I am educating Nigeria or anything but I am very grateful to them for giving me opportunity to express my view but I have never says that my statement must be used.
“This is because we are all humans, I could be wrong, I could be right, people may agree or disagree with me. When you make your own contribution, people can see the difference.
“I never bothered myself with the comments, this country is ours to fix and we must fix it with urgency”.
Talking about calling for a coup, he said it is unfair for any journalists or newspaper to report that he calls for a military coup while he was expressing his personal view about Nigeria.
He called for a fact check about his story and bring out the authenticity of his statement.
“To make it more interesting, a retired general from the North West who is a Muslim has also released a statement on his handle to say all what I said is true.
“One of the few comments I read as reactions to my statement and it gives me joy. In the beginning of this administration, some people say President Jonathan was my friend and he was someone I closely associated with.
“Unknown to those people, Jonathan people are saying I am a Buhari man. Throughout the period Jonathan was the President, I was never invited to the Villa for a day to come and say prayer. The only time I entered the Villa was when I was invited by the South Africa Ambassador for a prayer for Mandela.
“Let me be clear, I don’t have a problem with President Buhari. I am unhappy with the way governance is going. I don’t have to like the President and the President don’t have to like me as well.
“This is our country and we have to make it great, if my brother were the chairman if a local government, will that stop me from saying what he does not do right.
“It is a Pity that we come from a tradition that people think or we are used to praise sing those in power and when you criticize, you don’t like the person or you are his enemy” he added.
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