Late Buhari Never Gave Me One Kobo Of Govt Money, But Helped Kaduna Centre Through Contacts — Fearon
According to a report by The Sun News, on Thursday, September 10, 2026, Former Secretary General of the worldwide Anglican Communion and Founder and Director of the Kaduna Centre for the Study of Christian Muslim Relations, Bishop Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, has warned Nigerian politicians and religious leaders against making religious identity the foundation of their electoral strategies.
Speaking ahead of the 2027 general elections, the respected cleric maintained that politicians should not assume that choosing candidates from particular religious groups will automatically guarantee electoral success.
He stressed that Nigeria is a religiously diverse country where Christians and Muslims must be able to work together for political progress.
The bishop had earlier told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani that they cannot win elections by depending on only one religious group.
According to him, political leaders need support from both Christians and Muslims because neither group alone can determine the outcome of an election in Nigeria.
His argument also focused on why some politicians and their supporters continue to demand either religiously balanced tickets or political arrangements dominated by members of the same faith.
Asked why some people continue to insist that political tickets should reflect religious balance or be made up of people from the same religious background, Idowu-Fearon said the issue could be linked to the desire for easier access to political power.
He explained that people from a particular religious community may prefer to have someone from their faith close to government because they believe such a person would make it easier for them to reach those in authority or benefit from government opportunities.
However, the cleric warned that this approach can deepen religious divisions instead of promoting unity.
He argued that having a leader from one’s own religious group does not necessarily guarantee access to government or better treatment.
He said, “I had direct access to the late President Buhari, and my Christian identity never prevented that. Buhari never gave me one kobo of government money, but he helped the Kaduna Centre through his personal contacts.”
Idowu-Fearon used his experience with former President Muhammadu Buhari to demonstrate that religious differences should not prevent people from building relationships with political leaders.
He noted that despite Buhari being a Muslim and himself being a Christian, his faith did not stop him from having direct access to the former president.
He explained that Buhari did not give him government funds, but still supported the Kaduna Centre through his personal connections.
For the bishop, this showed that meaningful cooperation can exist between people of different religious backgrounds without government assistance being based on religious identity.
He also recalled an example involving former Vice President Namadi Sambo, who is a Muslim. According to Idowu-Fearon, Sambo once agreed to provide a 70 KVA generator for the Kaduna Centre.
The bishop said Sambo was aware that he was a Christian and also understood the work being carried out at the Centre.
Despite their different religious backgrounds, they were able to cooperate because the project was considered on its merits.
Idowu-Fearon therefore argued that political relationships and public service should not be controlled by religious considerations.
He maintained that Nigerians should be more concerned about the ability, character and purpose of political leaders than whether they belong to the same faith.
His comments come as politicians and their supporters continue to position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
The bishop’s position is that religious identity should not become the main condition for political cooperation, as Christians and Muslims can work together when they share a commitment to serving the country.
COURTESY: OLATUNJI—DISU
