Presidency Criticizes Catholic Bishops Over Meeting Comments

On Saturday, the Presidency rebuked the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and Cardinal John Onaiyekan for their conduct during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu. The Presidency stated that the bishops are not the only custodians of truth regarding the nation's state.

It criticized Onaiyekan for publicly disclosing details of the closed-door meeting, labeling his comments as inappropriate and a breach of confidentiality. Presidential aides Temitope Ajayi and Daniel Bwala defended Tinubu's response to the bishops' criticism, arguing that their assessment of the economy, security, and governance was merely one perspective.

Onaiyekan had revealed during an interview on Arise Television that the bishops expressed concerns about economic hardship and insecurity, but Tinubu rejected their assessment, claiming progress was being made. Onaiyekan emphasized that the bishops' statement was a collective position of the conference, prepared with careful consideration and wide consultation, and asserted that they have no political ambitions but a moral obligation to address the suffering of Nigerians.