- Say one year not enough to judge the President.
- Seeks National Cohesion
Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, visited President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by the Director of the Kukah Centre in Abuja.
After the meeting, Kukah spoke with State House correspondents, explaining that he had come to invite the President to an event organized by his centre to address national cohesion.
“I came to see the President with the Director of the Kukah Centre. We came to discuss with the President on an invitation we had earlier extended, which we renewed, to have a conference in which we would like him to be in attendance, addressing the theme of ‘national cohesion’. So, that’s really what we came to discuss,” Kukah said.
Kukah emphasized that one year is not enough to pass judgment on President Tinubu’s government, despite the various challenges Nigerians are facing.
He acknowledged that the administration is working to address these challenges but urged Nigerians to be patient and understanding.
“I’m sure that many people will tell you that one year is not enough to make a judgement. However, from where we all stand, we know that we are all in a very difficult situation,” he said.
“Nigerians are in various levels of pain and they are pains that are unintended. But, they are as a result of certain policy decisions that hopefully, with time, can be amended in order to serve the welfare of ordinary people.”
Kukah stressed that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure better living conditions and security for its citizens.
He added “I believe that the essence of government is to guarantee the welfare and security of ordinary citizens. I believe that the times that we are in are very very difficult times, and nobody should be under any illusion.”
He urged the government to improve communication with Nigerians, saying,
“My argument has always been that the government needs to very quickly improve the quality of communication so that Nigerians can at least get a sense of how long is it going to be before food is ready.”
Overall, Kukah’s visit and comments emphasized the need for patience, understanding, and improved communication during these challenging times.
On the political crisis in Rivers, Kukah admonished Nigerians not to worry themselves over the rivalry among politicians, saying that they knew how to resolve their problems.
He hoped that the issues would be resolved sooner rather than later as he noted that the state was very dear to his heart.
“Well, I don’t live in Rivers State. Look, this is politics and very often, we ordinary people cry more than the bereaved. The important thing is politicians will fix their problems.
“Rivers state is a place that is very dear to me because I have been associated with them for a very long period of time.
“But look, when politicians fight, don’t get carried away because they have the capacity to fix their quarrel. And I hope and pray that Rivers State will sooner rather than later reposition because it is not an insignificant part of Nigeria.”