Nigeria, May 24 -- The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, has slammed the notion of a politically driven papal election, declaring that the Pope is chosen by divine inspiration not entitlement or regional rotation.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television's Political Paradigm as monitored by The News Chronicle, after attending the historic inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome, Kukah underscored the Vatican's unique status as a moral and diplomatic epicenter.

"Every square inch of that territory is a space for negotiation at the highest level," he said, recalling how world leaders engage in quiet diplomacy amid solemn papal ceremonies.

Kukah, who also attended the burial of Pope Francis, called the Vatican "a global mo...