Muslim Coalition Warns Against Attacks On Kukah Over Christmas Day Statement

The coalition of Nigerian Muslim Professionals has asked those
vilifying the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Archdiocese, Matthew Kukah
for speaking against the current administration to desist from
actions that could deplete the peace of the country.

The coalition noted that the country will be a better place if
there were two or three persons like Kukah.

It tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to take Kukah’s message as
a wake-up call to adjust for good of the country.

A statement signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Prof.
Mohammed Inuwa, noted that Buhari may have meant well for the
country but faulted the President in some actions taken by his
administration which it said was not promoting unity.

The Muslim coalition condemned attacks trailing Kukah’s
Christmas Day Message, where he bemoaned the state of the nation,
warning that unless leaders sit up, Nigeria was heading towards a
failed state.

Kukah had also accused President Buhari of piloting Nigeria into
darkness in the message titled: “A Nation in Search of
Vindication.”

The Bishop had emphasised the worsening state of insecurity in
the country and berated the current administration of glaringly
abandoning the nation’s extant federal character principles and
rather promoting nepotism with impunity.

The development has been drawing criticisms from the President’s
friends and political associates.

The Coalition said instead of vilifying the cleric, it would be
to the President’s best interests to take Bishop’s message as a
wake-up call to adjust for the good of Nigeria

It noted that promoting the interest of one region against
others is not what a good leader is known for, adding that in as
much as it loves the president, the coalition will want him to
leave a legacy of a united Nigeria.

However, the coalition commended Kukah for what they described
as “his boldness to speak truth to power”, faulting those vilifying
him.

The Nigerian Muslim Professionals took a swipe at those trolling
the Bishop, saying they were doing it for their pecuniary gains and
not the interest of the country.

It warned against twisting the message to mean the Bishop
endorses coup, saying contrary to those promoting that insinuation,
the revered Bishop was too learned to support such ignoble path to
installing leadership, saying Nigerians with a conscience would not
fall to the antics of those twisting the Bishop’s message for
selfish reasons.

The group said having followed Bishop Kukah’s activities and
preachings since the days of the military, it was convinced that
not too many Nigerians took the interest of the country at heart
like Bishop Kukah.

“Even during the military era where people dreaded the powers
that be at the time, Bishop Kukah, who was then a Catholic priest
spoke truth to those at the helm of affairs without fear or favour.
He has shown through his actions all the years that he is a true
son of Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

“We should support him for being bold enough to come out to
speak what many Nigerians know is the truth but afraid to speak out
for fear of the leadership.

“While we must admit that President Muhammad Buhari means well
for the nation, we must say that most people in his government are
grossly incompetent and don’t deserve to stay around power even in
an uncivilized space,” the statement said.

The group said it would not shy away from the truth even though
most of the president’s actions drawing criticisms were in favour
of its region.

It flayed the glaring marginalisation of the Igbos in every
facet of national life, saying the development was not promoting
national cohesion which nationalists that laid down their lives for
the country’s independence wanted.

“There’s nothing wrong with Bishop Kukah’s statement in the
actual sense. Some regions particularly the South East has been
marginalized in successive governments and the administration of
President Muhammad Buhari came and amplified it with the worst,” it
said in the statement.

It described those attacking Kukah as faceless individuals who
were being promoted by selfish people in leadership to silence the
truth.

The statement added: “We strongly condemn the wrong approach
taken to respond to a message by a patriotic Nigerian by these
incompetent people working to derail the president’s agenda.

“It is completely wrong to be attacking Bishop Kukah by some
faceless sponsored groups. Bishop Kukah did not in any way call for
a coup, he is too learned to do that.

“We stand completely with Bishop Kukah; this government must be
fair to all Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion.”

The coalition of Nigerian Muslim Professionals has asked those
vilifying the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Archdiocese, Matthew Kukah
for speaking against the current administration to desist from
actions that could deplete the peace of the country.

The coalition noted that the country will be a better place if
there were two or three persons like Kukah.

It tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to take Kukah’s message as
a wake-up call to adjust for good of the country.

A statement signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Prof.
Mohammed Inuwa, noted that Buhari may have meant well for the
country but faulted the President in some actions taken by his
administration which it said was not promoting unity.

The Muslim coalition condemned attacks trailing Kukah’s
Christmas Day Message, where he bemoaned the state of the nation,
warning that unless leaders sit up, Nigeria was heading towards a
failed state.

Kukah had also accused President Buhari of piloting Nigeria into
darkness in the message titled: “A Nation in Search of
Vindication.”

The Bishop had emphasised the worsening state of insecurity in
the country and berated the current administration of glaringly
abandoning the nation’s extant federal character principles and
rather promoting nepotism with impunity.

The development has been drawing criticisms from the President’s
friends and political associates.

The Coalition said instead of vilifying the cleric, it would be
to the President’s best interests to take Bishop’s message as a
wake-up call to adjust for the good of Nigeria

It noted that promoting the interest of one region against
others is not what a good leader is known for, adding that in as
much as it loves the president, the coalition will want him to
leave a legacy of a united Nigeria.

However, the coalition commended Kukah for what they described
as “his boldness to speak truth to power”, faulting those vilifying
him.

The Nigerian Muslim Professionals took a swipe at those trolling
the Bishop, saying they were doing it for their pecuniary gains and
not the interest of the country.

It warned against twisting the message to mean the Bishop
endorses coup, saying contrary to those promoting that insinuation,
the revered Bishop was too learned to support such ignoble path to
installing leadership, saying Nigerians with a conscience would not
fall to the antics of those twisting the Bishop’s message for
selfish reasons.

The group said having followed Bishop Kukah’s activities and
preachings since the days of the military, it was convinced that
not too many Nigerians took the interest of the country at heart
like Bishop Kukah.

“Even during the military era where people dreaded the powers
that be at the time, Bishop Kukah, who was then a Catholic priest
spoke truth to those at the helm of affairs without fear or favour.
He has shown through his actions all the years that he is a true
son of Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

“We should support him for being bold enough to come out to
speak what many Nigerians know is the truth but afraid to speak out
for fear of the leadership.

“While we must admit that President Muhammad Buhari means well
for the nation, we must say that most people in his government are
grossly incompetent and don’t deserve to stay around power even in
an uncivilized space,” the statement said.

The group said it would not shy away from the truth even though
most of the president’s actions drawing criticisms were in favour
of its region.

It flayed the glaring marginalisation of the Igbos in every
facet of national life, saying the development was not promoting
national cohesion which nationalists that laid down their lives for
the country’s independence wanted.

“There’s nothing wrong with Bishop Kukah’s statement in the
actual sense. Some regions particularly the South East has been
marginalized in successive governments and the administration of
President Muhammad Buhari came and amplified it with the worst,” it
said in the statement.

It described those attacking Kukah as faceless individuals who
were being promoted by selfish people in leadership to silence the
truth.

The statement added: “We strongly condemn the wrong approach
taken to respond to a message by a patriotic Nigerian by these
incompetent people working to derail the president’s agenda.

“It is completely wrong to be attacking Bishop Kukah by some
faceless sponsored groups. Bishop Kukah did not in any way call for
a coup, he is too learned to do that.

“We stand completely with Bishop Kukah; this government must be
fair to all Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion.”