“Even Buhari’s Wife Disagrees With His Policies” – Bishop Kukah Replies Garba Shehu

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah has insisted that he had nothing personal against President Muhammadu Buhari despite his constant criticisms.

Bishop Kukah Replies Garba Shehu On Buhari

The cleric stated this while responding to a statement by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, who accused him of always spreading hate against Buhari.

During an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Bishop Kukah said his criticism of the president is not a personal attack, noting that the first lady, Aisha Buhari, also disagrees with his policies.

Kukah reiterated that Buhari has done “a bad job” as president, challenging Shehu to point out “one thing about the message that I preached that you disagree with and let’s discuss”.

He said, “All those saying I attacked the president, I have never attacked his person. All I have spoken about is his inability to manage diversities effectively and efficiently. I have studied diversity as a subject, and I know what I am talking about.

“Those who think these things are personal would see that I have never talked about his person or character; I believe he is a gentleman, but as far as being the president is concerned, he has done a bad job. I’m not the first person to disagree with Buhari’s policies, even his wife has done so.

“So, those guys should not sit in their air-conditioned office drinking coffee and think everything is honky-donkey. Let them disagree with the text of my message.

“Let me set the record straight, I delivered my sermon to my congregation and the message. The bearers of the message are directed primarily to the good people of Sokoto diocese.

“The president knows that I have great respect for him, and he is a gentleman, but he has done a terribly bad job as the president of Nigeria.

“There is nothing I am saying that is new, all the pastors who preached yesterday during the Easter service said the same thing. Tell me one thing about the message that I preached that you disagree with, and let’s discuss.”

Kukah who affirms that he speaks directly with the President said that his criticism of the government is nothing personal but the zeal to see things get better in the country.

He added, “For a Muslim (Garba Shehu) to sit down and tell me what an Easter message should contain is something.

“Buhari himself knows that there is nothing personal in what I say. One thing the President has said that humbled me is that he told me, ‘Bishop Kukah, I know where you stand on any issue that has to do with Nigeria.’

“What connected me with Buhari and a lot of Muslims is not the Catholic Church, it is my public position on a lot of things. And I am not saying it so that you must agree with me.

“But Nigerians have been extraordinarily magnanimous because I have not had many people saying we disagree with you and I have not spoken because I know the issue.

“The primary beneficiary of what I say is me and I speak for myself. If you have any issues with me, let’s clarify the issue.”

KanyiDaily recalls that Bishop Matthew Kukah had lamented that citizens of some countries were willing to risk their lives for their nations but such is not the case in Nigeria