Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said President Muhammadu Buhari will fulfil the promises he made to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria during the campaigns for the 2015 general election.
Osinbajo said this on Thursday in Jos during the golden jubilee celebration of St. Augustine’s Major Seminary, Jos, with the theme, ‘Remembering our past, shaping our future’.
He was reacting to the comment made by the Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Fr. Matthew Kukah.
Osinbajo said the promises included the prosecution of people who use religion as an excuse to destroy homes, schools and places of worship, and the protection of lives and properties.
Buhari also promised in rebuilding destroyed places of worship; giving full compensation to all destroyed/lost properties.
Kukah had quoted Buhari as addressing the CBCN in Abuja on February 11, 2015 during the election campaigns.
Buhari was quoted as saying, “Government has no business preferring one religion to the other. The role of government is to protect the lives and properties of citizens and to respect and protect their constitutional rights.
One critical thing that every government must strive to protect is the liberty of citizens to practice their respective faiths, whether they are Christians or Muslims and others, in a lawful manner without fear or hindrance and to prosecute those who use religion as an excuse to destroy homes, destroy schools and destroy places of worship.
“When government fails in this duty, they must assist in rebuilding these places of worship.”
While responding, Osinbajo said, “The President remains firmly committed to the promises he made before the Catholic bishops and God will help us abide by those principles.”