Bishop Kukah speaks on presence during Obasanjo’s endorsement of Atiku

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Hassan Matthew Kukah, has said photograph showing him and Sheikh Ahmed Gumi with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, was not political.

In an interview with The Guardian during the Interfaith Conference in Abuja, the cleric played down his role in Obasanjo’s meeting with Atiku and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains.

“Have you ever heard of a priest endorsing any candidate? Every Nigerian has the right to contest election,” he said.

Reminded that it was trending on the social media, he said: “I am not the editor of the social media.

“Don’t I have freedom of movement again or must I give an account of what I have gone to do? Did I borrow money from anybody for transport?”

Kukah insisted he didn’t accompany Atiku to Otta for the meeting.

“Did you see me accompany Atiku? I was in Otta, you are here now, is it the same as saying you followed me?

“Did you come here with me? The fact that we are in the same location doesn’t mean we came together.”

On whether he was part of the team that reconciled Obasanjo and Atiku, Kukah replied: “You are now doing hypothesis. You can confirm from Atiku’s office.

“You know they are politicians, they can tell you. They were the actors, not me. Am I a politician?”