Atiku Abubakar Condemns Tinubu's Attack on Cardinal Onaiyekan

Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, condemned the Tinubu administration's attack on Cardinal John Onaiyekan, describing it as indicative of President Bola Tinubu's growing intolerance of dissent. In a statement from his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku expressed disappointment that the Presidency chose intimidation and ridicule over engaging with the substance of the Cardinal's message.

He praised the Catholic Church for its historical role as a moral voice in Nigeria, advocating for the poor and oppressed. Atiku criticized the government's response as arrogant and disrespectful, undermining the integrity of the Catholic Bishops.

He noted that Cardinal Onaiyekan's decision to address the press was a responsible act to clarify the situation, contrasting it with the administration's resort to insults. Atiku urged religious leaders to emulate the Cardinal's courage in speaking truth to power, highlighting the importance of independent voices in governance.