Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu dismissed the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) during their July 28 meeting at the State House, Abuja.
Speaking on Friday during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television, Onaiyekan said the bishops used the meeting to present what they believe to be a true assessment of the country’s economy and security situation, which apparently differed from the positive reports often presented to the President by those around him.
He stated that the President did not respond favourably to the concerns raised, as he insisted that his administration was on the right track.
Disclosing that he was not surprised by Tinubu’s reaction, the cardinal stressed that the bishops considered it their responsibility to speak truthfully about the country’s challenges rather than present an overly optimistic picture.
“When the nation is bleeding, you cannot expect a polite meeting with the Head of State. We told him the economy is not helping our poor people; he told us the economy is doing fine. Frankly speaking, he told us quite clearly that he did not agree with us,” Onaiyekan said.
He added, “We didn’t expect him to agree with us. We have done our duty, we have delivered our message, and we have a feeling that somehow, along the line, somebody will show him a few of the things we said.”
The cleric stressed that the statement presented to Tinubu reflected the collective position of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference after extensive consultations, adding that the bishops had no political ambitions but a duty to speak on issues affecting Nigerians.
“We are not politicians running for office. We are religious leaders who feel we have a duty not just to preach our doctrines but also to address the lives of our people,” he said.
Onaiyekan said the bishops deliberately presented the realities confronting Nigerians rather than giving the President a favourable picture of the country, adding that they were satisfied Tinubu listened because he responded directly to their concerns.
He, however, expressed concern that too few people within government were willing to tell the President the truth, describing it as one of the country’s major challenges.
On the political climate, the archbishop defended the bishops’ warning against what they described as the creeping danger of a one-party dominant state, saying democracy required credible elections and a level playing field.
Responding to Tinubu’s defence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Onaiyekan argued that doubts over the commission’s neutrality would remain as long as its leadership was appointed by the President, urging reforms to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
He urged Tinubu to protect Nigeria’s democratic institutions, insisting the bishops were united in their belief that Nigerians deserved better and that government should focus more on addressing the country’s challenges than celebrating its achievements.
