The Special Adviser Media and Publicity to the President, Major General Muhammdu Buhari (retd.), Femi Adesina, has stated that the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, is ‘too partisan’.
Adesina stated this through a statement on Sunday in response to a query sent to the President by Kukah.
In the statement, Kukah questioned Buhari on if his “tall dreams of putting an end to banditry and vanquishing corruption” had been realized.
“As you prepare to return to Daura or Kaduna, I do not know if you feel fulfilled or that you met the tall dreams and goals you set for yourself such as: ending banditry, defeating corruption, bringing back our girls, belonging to everybody and belonging to nobody, selling off our presidential fleet and traveling with us,” Kukah had said.
But in response, Adesina stated that the Buhari administration has made strides in the struggle against insecurity during an interview with Channels Television on Monday.
“The figure has been coming down progressively over the years and it’s a fact of history. Nobody can change it,” Adesina said.
“Someone has said it is even better he (Kukah) puts off his cassock and becomes a full-time politician.
“He (Kukah) is rather too partisan. He is someone we had always admired for his intellectual bent.
“But his opinion has been coloured by politics. He talked about selling the presidential fleet. Was that ever promised? In 2015, there were a rash of promises made that even the candidate then did not know about.
“The question is – are we where we were on the issue of banditry in 2015? The job is not fully done but are we where we were?
“If Kukah is true to himself and true to his calling as a cleric he will know that this country is nowhere like it was in terms of banditry as of 2015,” Adesina said.
The presidential spokesman added, “In 2015, we knew where Nigeria was. A minimum of 17 LGAs in this country was under the control of insurgents.
“Talking about control, I mean they were sitting in emirs’ palaces and seats of LGA chairmen. NYSC could not do orientation and post people to those places. Is that what is happening today? No!
“Emirs are back in their palaces. LGA chairmen are back in their offices.
“NYSC orientations are happening in those states and corps members are being posted to those states. Are you now telling me there have been no improvements?”