Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has carpeted two presidential aides, Mr. Daniel Bwala and Temitope Ajayi, for criticising Cardinal Onyaiyekan.
Bwala, a Special Adviser on communications to the President said Cardinal Onaiyekan spoke for only Catholics on his impressions from the bishops’ recent visit to the president, while Ajayi, a Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, accused Onaiyekan of abusing what he called the clerical privilege of attending the meeting with the Nigerian leader.
Ajayi had argued that the Catholic Bishops discharged what they considered their moral obligation by presenting their concerns to the President.
He said, President Tinubu, on his part, accorded them respect by granting them audience and responding to every issue they raised. That exchange reflected the civility expected in a constitutional democracy.
HURIWA through its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, accused the duo of being disrespectful to an elderly statesman and a respected clergy, widely reputed to be one of the choicest patriots and nationalists in Nigeria.
According to HURIWA, the interview granted by the senior clergy was for the best public interest and he spoke for the over 130 million households afflicted by multidimensional poverty and for the over 60% absolutely poor Nigerians as ascribed by the World Bank who cut across ethnicities and religious affiliations.
HURIWA insisted the unfortunate and irrational rants by the two presidential aides were inconsequential and unreasonable, saying the statements by the aides of president Tinubu make them look amateurish, inexperienced and lacking knowledge of the political history of Nigeria.
He said if the presidential duo knew about the political history of Nigeria, they would have known that Onaiyekan had been visiting presidents for decades long before they entered the primary schools.
He added that indeed Onaiyekan has remained consisted in speaking raw truth to power and has never been known for double speak unlike Bwala.
HURIWA faulted the comment by Ajayi that the interview amounted to a breach of privilege.