The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is leaving Nigeria more vulnerable than when he came into the office in 2015.
“It is sad that despite your lofty promises, you are leaving us far more vulnerable than when you came; (it is sad) that the corruption we thought would be fought has become a leviathan and sadly, a consequence of a government marked by nepotism,” he said.
The fiery Bishop made the allegations in his Christmas message delivered on Sunday.
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Although, he commended the President for the effort he made in the area of infrastructure and in seeking to end malfeasance in the electoral processes, Kukah accused Buhari’s government of looking away on “the dubious Jihadists” holding the nation to ransom.
“In Nigeria today we bear scars, we bear trauma, we bear deep sorrow. Our children are still in the forests, in the hands of evil men. But most of them have no names. They are only numbers.
“Still, let us not give up. Let us not be afraid. Let us, like our mother, meditate over all these things and await the Lord’s doing.
“Be vigilant. 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,” he said.
The bishop, however, appealed to those seeking elective offices to cooperate with institutions tasked with the responsibilities for conducting free and fair elections.
“We are already overwhelmed by violence and our future hangs in a balance. Do not further fan the embers of hatred and divisions. Seek to create a vision that can unite our country. Learn the mistakes of the past especially in the areas of managing our diversity and designing and effective mechanism for power sharing.
“We have heard your promises, but we do know that promises before elections are sweet; actions after elections are often bitter,” he said.
Bishop prayed to God to rebuild the lives of Nigerians who regained freedom from bandits and other terrorists, just as he prayed for divine rest for those who did not return.
He further prayed for the quick release of those still in captivity.
Bishop Kukah harped on the need for religious faithfuls to be exchanging visits to their places of worship, saying it could inspire confidence.
He advised the electorate to examine the politicians and assess their honesty before voting for them.
“Do not be carried away by promises or even claims of past records. Even the best leader has to be engaged. We have not engaged this government out of malice. We have done so out of a sense of duty, to ensure that our glory does not depart.
“Let us all sign on to participating fully and delivering free and peaceful elections as a foundation for a new dawn for our country. The world is waiting for Nigeria,”he said.
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