Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Reverend Matthew Kukah believes that the opinion of the President and other public office holders should not determine therestructuring ofNigeria.

Bishop Kukah, however, said the leaders have the responsibility to process the demands of the people who, he said, were displeased with some of the happenings in the country.

“Neither the President, nor the National Assembly, nor any public officer should have an opinion about this,” he said on Monday while addressing a gathering at this year’s edition of the Platform, an annual event organised by the Covenant Christian Centre, to discuss pressing issues in the country.

“We are the ones expressing our dissatisfaction but at least, wait to accept and process them. Whereas some people think that restructuring should be about Mathematics, there are those who see restructuring as Economics.

“That’s what you are hearing from the National Assembly that they said ‘no, we will not accept devolution (of power)’. My word is that the National Assembly ought not to have an opinion about this,” he pointed out.

The clergyman also stressed the need for Nigerians to live in peace with one another, as well as realise that they are fighting for the same cause.

He said, “If the governing elites bother to know about the nature of this country called Nigeria, and how and why people are hurting, then we must come to terms with the fact that we all want the same things in the final analysis.”

“We have every reason to be angry but please let us remember for the sake of this country, a lot of our citizens have given their lives to defend this country.

“As soldiers, they have died and are still dying; it is a reason why we must take very seriously, the issue of building a new country together. That challenge is before all of us, our love for Nigeria will never die,” he added.

Bishop Kukah also emphasised the need for people to understand that contesting elections must not be a do or die affair.

He wondered why getting into office had turned into a violent game, saying “If you are genuinely struggling to serve, why should it just be at all cost?

“Nigerians are mistaking the thing that being in office is the same as being in power, or that being in power is the same as being in office; the two things are conceptually different.

“Of course, being in office might help but to be in power, you must have something that people can buy into and this for me as Christians, it’s something that we must take very seriously,” he said. (Channels TV)