The activists claimed the cleric offered himself a hatchet job against a party in the same election in which his organisation is seeking to promote peace.
This was contained in a statement on Thursday, signed by the Convener, Federation of Social Justice Advocates, Adefemi Omoniyi.
The group called on relevant authorities to strip Kukah of any election observer status, adding that “he has no business in mediating conflicts or peace.”
The statement read, “What ‘common interests’ did his blackmail against the governor serve other than to create crisis and chaos in Kogi State? Yet, he says his organisation is promoting peace.”
“We cannot have a man promoting disharmony, hatred and political disaffection sitting on any peace committee in the country.
“The people of Kogi State and, indeed, Nigerians can attest to the fact that Governor Yahaya Bello, irrespective of the narrative the opposition is peddling, has done more in the state in terms of achievements than any other governor since the creation of the state. Where the Bishop got what he based his utterances on should be the question.
“It is a universally acknowledged aphorism that whoever comes to justice must come with clean hands. Moreover, an African adage says ‘A peacemaker must not join in a fight’.
“But these agelong wise sayings don’t seem to resonate with Bishop Matthew
Kukah.”
The activists called for Kukah’s immediate removal from the National Peace Committee and that he should be stripped of any election observer status he might
Recall, Kukah during an interview on Channels TV Sunrise Daily Programme on Wednesday, claimed that Bello is a poor representation of the Nigerian youth.
He made this claim over the violence in the state ahead of the November 11 governorship election.
