Outspoken Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, Bishop has urged Nigerian political class to engage in lawful and productive enterprise for the citizens to love and trust them.
The clergy lamented that “the share amount of money that is being spent not just in campaigns but in just picking a piece of paper to declare intension to participate, is not acceptable”.
“Majority of our people remain hungry and sick and we cannot be flaunting this wealth in a democracy, because if that is the system we wanted, we will call it a plutocracy in which case only rich men and women can participate in the process,” the cleric admonished.
He encouraged the political actors to act on the need to expand the frontiers of freedom to participate in the processes concerning the country.
“This is unacceptable especially as these things are happening in a democracy,” Kukah insisted.
The cleric said it is quite sad that the strike has lasted this long particularly because democracy has always given the people a platform for negotiation, consensus and several other means for solving such issues as exist between the government and the authorities of the various universities.
He said Nigeria must come to understand that without the universities giving opportunities for academic energy, analysis, and theorizing; it is impossible for the nation’s democracy to grow.