The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has challenged presidential spokesmen and the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to a debate on national issues at a time and place of their choice.
Specifically, Kukah accused Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina and his Senior Special Assistant, Garba Shehu, of avoiding issues but engaging in what he called poor quality writings in the discharge of their duties.
The Catholic Bishop spoke in a national television interview monitored in Abuja Tuesday morning.
Recall, Adesina and Garba Shehu recently attacked the clergyman following his Easter Homily to highlight government’s shortcomings.
“I don’t know whether any of them has the ability or the capacity to speak about guilt or no guilt,” Bishop Kukah said.
“But let me first of all set that records straight. I delivered my sermon to my congregation in the cathedral. So, the bearer of the message are primarily the good people of the diocese of Sokoto.
“Of course, am not unaware of the state of mind of my two friends, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, when it comes to talking about Bishop Kukah. They seem to suspend reason and go into overdrive.
“Unless of course Garba Shehu has plans to convert to Christianity or he is a closet Christian or he is an anonymous Christian, I appreciate the fact that when it comes to talking, he has not quoted the Holy Quran. All he does is end up with some convoluted interpretations of the Bible and embarrassing in their contexts.
“And I’m surprised that Femi Adesina who I believe is a reverend of sort in the Foursquare Gospel Church, I’m surprised that he’s unable to help his friend who they sat together.
“But let me simply say that I have made an offer to them and still make the offer that they can choose the venue, choose the time and just let me know. I would like to sit down with the three of them beginning with their honorable minister and both of them. Let us sit down together and talk about Nigeria. I’m ready, I will pay my way, I still repeat that offer to them.
“These are the only spokesmen that have spent a lot of time buying, photocopying paper and simply typing away texts. They have been involved in all kinds of writing of the poorest quality, never talking to the issues.
“So, first thing is to show you their inefficiency. It is that they are used to writing statements as opposed to taking to Nigerians about policies”.
