The Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah has alleged that when it comes to voting for a Nigerian president, he does not prioritize a leader who merely claims to fear God. He argued that the concept of fearing God is subjective and cannot be measured, suggesting that it often serves as a cover for poor governance and electoral fraud.
He emphasized the importance of having leaders who genuinely fear the Nigerian voter, as this accountability to the electorate is crucial for effective governance. He criticized the tendency among Nigerians to defer responsibility for leadership accountability to divine intervention, stating that this mindset has contributed to a lack of scrutiny of political leaders. He pointed out that many citizens have adopted a passive approach, believing that they can leave everything to God to resolve their issues. This, he argued, undermines the democratic process and allows leaders to avoid being held accountable for their actions.
He said in an interview with Channels TV from 23:20, ‘I’m a priest and I’m a bishop, and you may feel scandalized by what I want to say now. If it comes to voting for a Nigerian president, I don’t want a president who fears God. Because there’s no way of measuring fearing God. I want a government, I want a president and a governor who fears the Nigerian voter.
Unless and until we get to that point, the fear of God will continue to be imported largely as a fraudulent excuse for stealing elections, and also as a fraudulent excuse for governing badly and for not delivering. Because somehow we’ve come to a point in which now, rather than Nigerians focusing on holding the feet of their leaders to account, they say, “Well, we leave everything to God because somehow God will do it for us.” In a democracy, God holds the universe in the palm of his hand, but human institutions are managed by human beings.”