Governor Bello under heavy fire over looters' tithes comment

macfranc007 February 11, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Akinyemi Akinrujomu

- The Christian leaders say they are disappointed in the governor for his comments

- CAN says while the governor was entitled to his opinion, he should be careful with his comments and mind the happenings in his state

- Catholic Bishop Kukah says the comments of the governor are not worthy of a leader's in his position

Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello has come under heavy fire from Christian leaders and some other people for his comments following a visit of Catholic church bishops to President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock.

Punch reports that Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), prominent Catholic bishops and some Catholic groups have slammed the governor for his comments which they found unfair.

Leading the critics is Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah who felt the statement was uncalled for.

Kukah said: “Frankly, people of his calibre do not deserve our response. It is also a measure of the kind of people who have strayed into power.

I am not going to go into any details. It is a tragedy of what we call leadership now in Nigeria. People who have come with no antecedents; they just come out of the woodworks and occupy an office. And so, I won’t dignify him (Bello) with any response.”

The Archdiocese Emeritus, Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan, Alaba Job said Bello's statement was out of context and the governor did not have a clue about what the bishops told President Buhari.

“I am sorry that the governor made that statement. Who are the people stealing for us? What he said is different from what we discussed with Buhari. Killings, kidnappings, and other forms of evil (practices) are around us. Boko Haram has, to some extent, been suppressed but we now have so many atrocities.

“We did not discuss any issue about money to the church. It is a great pity if a governor made that statement. As far back as 1994, Catholic Church bishops constituted a prayer group that has been praying against corruption in Nigeria.

“The governor’s statement does not ‘belong’ to us, not to the Catholic Church bishops in Nigeria. He should read the statement issued at the meeting and compare it to his own statement. It is out of context.”

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The Punch report added that on CAN's part, the media aide to its president Pastor Bayo Oladeji said while Governor Bello had the right to express himself, he was out of line with his comments.

He added that the governor should mind the negative happenings in his state were civil servants are having a hard time surviving harsh economic conditions.

NAIJ.com had reported earlier that Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello, on Friday, February 9, said only looters are unhappy with the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Bello said this while reacting to statement reportedly made by Catholic Bishops while visiting President Buhari at the presidential villa on Thursday.

The religious leaders reportedly lamented the state of economy in Nigeria to the president. Bello, while reacting to the statement said only looters are unhappy with the Buhari administration.

What must President Buhari do to regain the trust of Nigerians? on NAIJ.com TV