Bishop Matthew Kukah accused President Muhammadu Buhari of
nepotism.
The presidency has faulted a group, the Muslim
Solidarity Forum, over a threat it issued to the bishop of Sokoto
diocese, Most Rev Matthew Hassan Kukah, to tender an apology over a
recent comment credited to him or leave the state.
In a statement signed on Wednesday by the Senior Special
Assistant to the President, (Media & Publicity), Garba Shehu, the
presidency described the situation as an assault on the cleric’s
freedom.
The presidency also declared that Bishop Kukah must be allowed
to practice his faith and politics, describing the stance by the
Muslim solidarity forum as wrong and not in line with the
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Bishop Kukah in his Christmas message had lamented the state of
the polity, condemning the president’s leadership style and
ascribing the prevailing national condition to his decisions, a
comment the Muslim Solidarity Forum says was an insult to the
entire Muslim Ummah and “malicious comments” against Islam.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
But in its statement, the presidency explained that “under our
constitution, every citizen has the right to, among others, freedom
of speech and expression, the right to own property and reside in
any part of the country, and the right to move freely without any
inhibitions.
“Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity,” the statement read
in part.
“The right for all religions to co-exist is enshrined in this
country’s constitution. The duty of the government, more so, this
democratic government, is to ensure that the constitution is
respected. But all must respect the rights and sensitivities of
their fellow Nigerians”.
While admitting that Bishop Kukah offended many with his
controversial remarks against the government and the person of the
president, the presidency called for restraint, warning that groups
or factions such as the Muslim Solidarity Forum must not give quit
notices, neither should they unilaterally sanction any perceived
breaches.
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2021/01/14/presidency-faults-group-asking-bishop-kukah-to-leave-sokoto/