The Federal Government has said that the allegation of nepotism made by the bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese Matthew Kukah against President Muhammadu Buhari is false.
Kukah had in a Christmas message accused the president of nepotism, favouring the north over other tribes as it concerns federal appointments.
However, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said in a statement on Saturday that religious leaders in the country should refrain from such statements.
He said: ”While religious leaders have a responsibility to speak truth to power, such truth must not come wrapped in anger, hatred, disunity and religious disharmony.”
”Calling for a violent overthrow of a democratically-elected government, no matter how disguised such a call is, and casting a particular religion as violent is not what any religious leader should engage in, and certainly not in a season of peace,” Mohammed also said, adding that instigating regime change outside the ballot box is not only unconstitutional but also an open call to anarchy.
He said while some religious leaders, being human, may not be able to disguise their national leadership preference, they should refrain from stigmatising the leader they have never supported anyway, using well-worn and disproved allegations of nepotism or whatever.
The minister said whatever challenges Nigeria may be going through at this moment can only be tackled when everyone comes together in unity.
