The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah yesterday said it was important for the political actors, particularly the 2023 presidential candidates to listen to the young people, understand their frustrations, and align their agenda toward assuaging their grievances.
Kukah said this was important because the passion that drove people during the 2015 elections had dissipated, and that the people had understood they were lied to “and we have all seen the consequences of religious manipulations.”
Kukah, who spoke on Arise News, said: “The passion that drove people in 2015, those passions have been dissipated because people realised that they were lied to. We have videos of many Northern clerics who confessed tearfully that they deceived their people by saying that these elections in 2015 were a jihad, whatever that meant. Now, we’re seeing the consequences of religious manipulations.
“Those who used ethnicity have now paid the price. Beyond the thousands of people who have lost their lives, one positive thing from what we have experienced in the last eight years is that anybody with a sense of discernment will appreciate the fact that voting for any candidate because he tells you he’s going to establish an Islamic state or he’s going to establish a Christian state or privilege Christians, that should be your first sign of realising that this the worst fraud any politician can sell to you.
“Young people have become aware of that. I know hundreds, thousands of farmers who definitely have changed their perception of what Nigeria is and have an idea of whom they can trust. To hear ordinary Muslims in Northern Nigerians and other places lamenting and sounding nostalgic about President Jonathan’s frontal take on the Almajiri thing.
“And Jonathan not being a Muslim had the foresight to value education so much that he will spend billions of Naira building Almajiri schools and nothing came of that and that they have seen no critical effort by those who are Muslims themselves.”
The Bishop continued: “I encourage the politicians to go to the nooks and crannies of Nigerians to sell their convictions. The energy in this coming election is tremendous and I am excited about the energy of the young people and their attention to the country’s election.
“I believe that Nigerians are energised and they have a choice to make. But we must ensure we see through the candidates and choose right to get the desired outcome.”
He also gave an insight into the type of leaders, particularly the person that should be elected by Nigerians as the next president.
He said it was important for Nigerians to move away from voting based on ethnic, religious, or political sentiments and vote for someone who is capable of tackling the perennial challenges facing the country.
He said that though the frontline candidates are individually qualified to lead the country, it was important for Nigerians to see through them and choose wisely.
The cleric said the era of rhetoric must be put behind and that the electorates must sieve and interrogate the presidential candidates on their ideology, plans and governance style before making their choice.
