Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Presidency over its response to comments made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan following the recent meeting between President Bola Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
Atiku said the Presidency ought to have reflected on the concerns raised by the Catholic bishops instead of directing criticism at Cardinal Onaiyekan, describing the government's reaction as unfortunate and indicative of growing intolerance for dissenting opinions.
The former vice president made the remarks in a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
According to the statement, Atiku maintained that the Catholic Church has consistently served as a moral voice in Nigeria by speaking on issues affecting the poor, vulnerable and oppressed, irrespective of the administration in power.
He commended the bishops for what he described as their courage in raising concerns about the country's situation during their engagement with President Tinubu, stressing that religious leaders have a duty to speak truth to power whenever the national interest is at stake.
"The Catholic bishops have once again demonstrated that religious leaders must not abandon their responsibility to offer honest counsel to those in authority. Their intervention reflects the realities confronting millions of Nigerians," Atiku was quoted as saying.
He urged both Christian and Muslim leaders across the country to emulate the bishops by offering sincere advice to political leaders rather than remaining silent in the face of national challenges.
Atiku also accused the Presidency of attempting to present what he described as a favourable narrative of the meeting with the bishops, alleging that Cardinal Onaiyekan's subsequent comments were intended to clarify the discussions and present the facts to Nigerians.
He further faulted the tone of the Presidency's response to the cleric, arguing that criticism of government policies should not be met with insults or intimidation.
According to him, the Catholic bishops are neither political supporters nor praise singers of any government but respected religious leaders with a moral obligation to hold those in authority accountable.
He added that the issues raised by the bishops mirrored the daily realities faced by many Nigerians, including economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and the rising cost of living.
Atiku maintained that governments confident in their performance should welcome constructive criticism as an opportunity to improve governance rather than perceive dissenting views as acts of hostility.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has defended its position, insisting that its response to the controversy was intended to correct what it described as misconceptions arising from the post-meeting comments made after the engagement between President Tinubu and the Catholic bishops.
