Presidency, Catholic Bishops Bicker Over Tinubu Meeting

The Presidency has criticised leaders of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) over comments made after their recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu, saying the bishops' views on the state of the nation represent only one perspective and should not be treated as the final word.

It also faulted the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, for revealing details of the private meeting, describing his public remarks as inappropriate and inconsistent with the confidentiality expected of such engagements.

The exchange followed an interview aired on Arise Television on Friday, in which Onaiyekan disclosed what transpired during the July 28 meeting between President Tinubu and a delegation of Catholic bishops at the Presidential Villa.

During the interview, the cardinal said the bishops presented a carefully prepared memorandum highlighting worsening economic hardship, insecurity and concerns about the country's democratic direction. According to him, the document reflected the collective position of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference after extensive consultation and was not a personal opinion.

Onaiyekan said the bishops spoke out because they considered it their moral responsibility to tell the President what they believe Nigerians are experiencing.

He explained that while the delegation told Tinubu that many citizens were struggling under current economic conditions, the President maintained that his administration's policies were producing positive results and that the economy was improving.

The cardinal noted that the bishops did not expect the President to agree with their assessment but believed they had fulfilled their duty by presenting what they viewed as the reality facing ordinary Nigerians.

He also suggested that many of the President's advisers and associates portray the country's situation more positively than it actually is, adding that the bishops felt obliged to provide a different perspective.

Responding on Saturday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, defended Tinubu's response, arguing that the bishops' assessment was not beyond scrutiny and should not be regarded as unquestionable.

Ajayi said the bishops had requested the meeting and were given the opportunity to express their concerns freely, while the President listened and responded with what he described as factual evidence.

According to him, although the bishops briefly acknowledged the impact of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), they overlooked several achievements of the administration, including improvements in the payment of salaries and pensions and increased fiscal stability across many states.

He said Tinubu acknowledged that the country continues to face economic and security challenges but insisted that significant progress had been made in stabilising the economy and laying the foundation for recovery.

Ajayi also rejected the suggestion that the President depends on the Catholic bishops for an accurate picture of national affairs, saying Tinubu receives daily intelligence briefings, monitors media reports and consults widely with advisers and stakeholders.

He further criticised Onaiyekan for discussing the contents of what he described as a confidential meeting.

In a separate reaction, the President's Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, accused the cardinal of allowing politics to influence his comments.

Bwala alleged that the Catholic Church had supported Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi during the 2023 election and argued that Onaiyekan's remarks should be viewed in that context. He maintained that the President was entitled to disagree with the bishops' assessment based on available economic data and official statistics.

He also argued that the Christian community is represented by several organisations beyond the Catholic Bishops' Conference and suggested that many of those bodies had remained politically neutral.

Meanwhile, Bishop Matthew Kukah, who was part of the delegation that met with the President, declined to comment further, saying he had no separate position to express.

Also reacting, Lagos Central Senatorial candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Ladipo Johnson, criticised the President over his reported suggestion that Nigerians experiencing hardship should seek assistance from churches.

Johnson described the remarks as inappropriate, arguing that they reflected a lack of empathy and shifted responsibility away from government at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with inflation, rising food prices and declining purchasing power.