Outspoken Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has picked holes in the planned payment of N5,000 to poor Nigerians.
He described the move as a monumental scam meant to enrich a few.
Bishop Kukah, who was a guest on a television programme Monday, noted that the government does not have such money to pay millions of people monthly and was only playing to the gallery to curry favour going into the election year.
“I can bet with you that the government cannot pay such amount monthly.
“Where do we get such amount to pay millions of people monthly? Even if such amount is available, the government will not pay. It is one of the usual promises. This is another scam coming from a government that has perfected the art of deceit. “Democracy gives me the right to make my opinion known. So, anything I say is my personal opinion and not anyone’s, and it is not targeted at anyone. So, I don’t know why people should be offended by what I say.
“People do contact me from outside Nigeria to speak on issues, and I do. What I say might not necessarily be right but that is my opinion. And so, I do not expect anyone to pick offence on what I say because it is my opinion.”
