The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah, has stated that Nigeria had the worst period of corruption during President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
The renowned clergyman stated this in his speech at the 60th call to bar anniversary celebration of legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola in Ado Ekiti.
The spiritual leader, who noted that the Buhari administration was not the first to introduce corruption in Nigeria, however, emphasized that his administration exacerbated it morally and financially.
He said, “We have seen the worst phase of corruption in Nigeria. Femi Falana, my friend here, will speak about that because he has published a series of articles talking about what happened under the Buhari administration.
“They were not the ones who caused corruption, but I think in the last administration, we saw the ugliest phase of corruption, whether in moral terms, financial terms, or other terms,” he said.
Kukah noted that Nigeria is sharing its constitutionally mandated sovereignty with bandits and other terrorists. The cleric expressed concern that Nigerians are really being kept prisoner by people who endanger our democracy and our country’s fundamental existence.
He claims that many Nigerians have lost faith in the judiciary. He regarded the judiciary as a victim, as is every other institution in Nigeria, which is in crisis.
According to him, “after the kind of mess the last administration has left the country”, Nigeria should not regard itself as a democracy but instead assume that it is progressing towards democracy.
The Bishop, on the other hand, stated that it is time to reconstruct the country, adding that Nigerians, after the outcome of the past general elections, had put the “ugly past” behind them.