By PEREZ BRISIBE

Elder statesman and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Frank Kokori, has accused secretary of the Jama’atul Nasril Islam, JNI, Dr. Khalid Aliyu of allegedly inciting religious war in the country.

Chief Kokori made his position known on Wednesday while reacting to Dr. Aliyu’s outburst in response to the Christmas homily of the archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.

Recall that Bishop Kukah in his 2020 Christmas day message, accused President Buhari of nepotism and other misdemeanours which have attracted several reactions across the country. The elder statesman who is a former general secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, also urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State to call the Islamic leader to order.

Accusing the JNI scribe of deliberate misinterpretation and misrepresentation of Bishop Matthew Kukah’s Christmas homily, Chief Kokori further warned against what he described as a gradual descent of the country into the avoidable religious war as being ignobly championed by Dr Aliyu.

He noted that having read the message of the Sokoto Bishop, he could not find any portion where the bishop disparaged Islam or muslims, urging Buhari and Tambuwal to rein on Dr Aliyu not to cause a religious war in the country.

According to Kokori, “Buhari and Tambuwal should call Dr Aliyu to order as he’s trying to cause a religious war in the country which is very dangerous.

“There was no portion where Bishop Kukah abused Islam or Muslims in his Christmas homily. Aliyu is an Islamic fundamentalist and should be treated as such.

“Aliyu should not drag Nigeria into his parochial ideology and if he’s worth his PhD degree, he should know that Bishop Kukah never attacked Islam or Muslims.

“Buhari and Tambuwal should rein on Aliyu not to create a religious war in the country. We’ve passed that stage. Religious war will bring the country to zero level.

“It’s treacherous for JNI to misinterpret Bishop Kuku’s obvious message. There’s nothing anti-Islam or anti-Muslim in what Kukah said. Aliyu should desist from religious bigotry.” (Vanguard)

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