The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has commended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for what he described as its courage and patriotism in drawing attention to the country’s pressing socio-economic and security challenges.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Kwankwaso said the concerns raised by the Catholic bishops over the rising cost of living, worsening insecurity, declining public confidence in governance and the growing hardship facing millions of Nigerians reflected the realities confronting citizens across the country.

According to him, the issues highlighted by the bishops are neither partisan nor isolated but mirror the daily experiences of ordinary Nigerians in every region of the country.

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Kwankwaso lamented that despite Nigeria’s vast human and natural resources, many citizens continue to grapple with economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity, poor access to quality education and healthcare, as well as shrinking opportunities.

He said the country’s current challenges require urgent, sincere and people-centred responses from those in positions of leadership.

The former Kano State governor urged Nigerians to continue engaging governments at all levels in a constructive manner, stressing the need to promote good governance, accountability and policies that place the welfare of citizens at the centre of governance.

“I encourage all well-meaning Nigerians to continue constructively engaging the Federal Government and other leaders at all levels whenever the opportunity arises, advocating for good governance, accountability, and policies that prioritise the security, welfare, and prosperity of our people,” he said.

Kwankwaso added that sustained citizen engagement and responsible leadership remain essential to building a more peaceful, united and prosperous Nigeria.

His comments come amid continued national conversations on the state of the economy, insecurity and governance following recent remarks by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria calling for stronger efforts to address the country’s mounting challenges.