Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reacted to the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah’s criticism of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
Bishop Kukah had recently described the ticket as reprehensible and unacceptable.
He also accused President Muhammadu Buhari of starting same-faith leadership in Nigeria with the Buhari-Idiagbon regime in 1983.
However, in a statement issued by the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday, the Islamic group has now corrected Kukah’s impression by asserting that the same faith leadership began under Christian leaders in Nigeria and it preceded the Buhari-Idiagbon administration.
According to MURIC, Bishop Kukah was being economical with the truth.
The statement read in part, “But Father Kukah was being economical with the truth. We all know that Nigeria’s same faith leadership phenomenon started long before Buhari became military head of state. The sad thing is that some people find it convenient to fall, victim of collective amnesia, when it comes to Muslim-bashing.
“How can anyone claim that Buhari started same-faith leadership when we all know that Nigeria’s first military head of state, Major-General Thomas Umunakwe Aguiyi Ironsi picked a fellow Christian, Brigadier Babademi Ogundipe, as deputy in 1966. He did not stop there. He also made another Christian, Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey, his third in command.
“The facts before us prove that Kukah was economical with the truth. He should cross check his facts properly next time he speaks in public. Nigerians are adept at fact-checking.”
