Matthew Kukah, the Catholic bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, has suggested that politicians take a cue from Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar’s cat-and-mouse relationship.
He bemoaned the fact that only a select few benefit from Nigeria’s democracy. Kukah made this statement on Monday during a colloquium hosted by Obasanjo at the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel to commemorate the 60th birthday of former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha.
According to him, “We as Africans inherited a system that is not ours, but we can’t say it is not relevant to us. There are differences between democracy in Asia and that of Africa. I feel sorry for judges. At the last election, even small me, I had people calling me, complaining, talk to this, talk to that.
“There was pressure on judges to deliver justice. I agree that there’s an urgent need to clean up the mess. Democracy is about everything, and it’s about justice. Democracy and its principles are endless contestations. There are certain things God has given us which people can’t control.
“The relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku is like a Catholic marriage. You will quarrel without breaking up. No constitution will be better than the Bible and Koran. Yet, we are still living in sin. The weaponisation of religion is a big problem in Nigeria.”