By Alumona Ukwueze
NSUKKA — The National Chairman of the South East Movement for Tinubu 2027, Prof. Damian Opata, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s recent remark that “all is fair in politics,” saying the statement is neither new nor peculiar to Nigeria’s political history.
Opata, a Professor of African Literature, made the remarks on Thursday while reacting to criticisms that followed the President’s comment during a recent meeting with Catholic bishops.
He argued that the expression is better understood in the context of the popular saying, “All is fair in love and war,” which he said has historical roots in English literature.
Prof. Opata said he had no objection to the document presented by the Catholic bishops, which was read by the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Bishop Matthew Ndagoso.
According to him, the bishops called for free and fair elections, improved security and good governance for the common good. They also requested the return of schools to their original proprietors and the extension of constitutional guarantees on freedom of religion.
He said President Tinubu, in his response, highlighted what he described as improvements in the education and security sectors, noted that the issue of returning schools to their proprietors falls within the jurisdiction of state governments, and reiterated that freedom of religion is already guaranteed under the Constitution.
Opata also claimed that the bishops applauded the President at different points during his response.
Commenting on the President’s controversial statement, the professor said the remark reflected political realism but acknowledged that it had attracted public concern.
He observed that the bishops’ address did not sufficiently emphasise the responsibilities of all political parties in ensuring free and fair elections, noting that the burden should not rest solely on the President, governors, local government chairmen or members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At the same time, Opata said critics were justified in arguing that the President, as the nation’s leader, should exercise greater caution in his choice of words because his office embodies the country’s conscience and ethical standards.
According to him, such statements could send the wrong message to Nigerians.
He further argued that the President’s remark could be interpreted within the framework of the Machiavellian principle that “the end justifies the means,” which he described as a philosophy rooted in political pragmatism and realpolitik.
Opata maintained that such pragmatic approaches are not limited to politics but can also be found in institutions such as universities, religious organisations, the police, the civil service and the business sector.
He added that similar approaches have, at different times, been adopted by institutions around the world in addressing complex challenges.
Reacting to comments made after the bishops’ meeting with the President, including an interview granted by Cardinal John Onaiyekan on Arise News, Opata urged the media and members of the public to exercise restraint in their commentary.
He criticised questions directed at the Cardinal about the President’s facial expression while the bishops’ address was being read, describing such issues as trivial and unrelated to the substance of the meeting.
He also referred to remarks by former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who said he appeared on television to defend his Christian faith against what he considered attacks by some presidential aides.
Quoting what he described as an artificial intelligence-generated explanation of what constitutes an insult to the Catholic Church and its clergy, Opata said such acts include public attacks on religious beliefs, vandalism of sacred property, disruption of worship services and hate speech directed at the Church’s moral teachings and clerical status.
He questioned whether responses by presidential aides to the bishops’ comments could reasonably be interpreted as insults to the bishops or the Catholic faith.
Opata urged the ruling party, opposition parties and Nigerians to avoid conduct that could be seen as endorsing either the principle that “the end justifies the means” or the notion that “all is fair in politics,” particularly as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 general elections.
According to him, such restraint would contribute to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
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