The Knights of St. John International and Ladies Auxiliary (KSJI), Nigeria, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other government leaders to accommodate opposing views from credible and apolitical stakeholders in the interest of national development.
The group made the call in an open letter to the President following controversy over the recent visit of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The letter, signed in Lagos by Chairman of the KSJI Strategic Communication Committee, Sir Peter Osamgbi, criticised what it described as the political and partisan interpretation of the bishops’ visit by some presidential spokespersons.
KSJI said the concerns raised by the bishops on the state of the nation should not be interpreted as political opposition or partisan intervention.
“It is against the foregoing background that the KSJI received with concern the public reactions which appeared as if the bishops’ visit to the President had political undertone,” the group said.
It added that the CBCN had, over the years, played an important role in Nigeria’s public life as a moral and religious institution, engaging successive governments on issues including peace, security, justice, good governance, religious harmony and citizens’ welfare.
According to KSJI, the bishops also acknowledged some actions of the Tinubu administration during their visit, including the release of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State and the prosecution of arrested kidnappers and bandits.
The group further said the bishops commended the administration’s efforts to improve access to education through the Students Loan Scheme and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund).
KSJI urged the Presidency to distinguish legitimate dialogue and constructive criticism from selfish or partisan interests.
It also called on government officials to refrain from attributing political motives to engagements by credible institutions and stakeholders offering their views on national issues.
The organisation stressed that constructive engagement with different perspectives remained essential to nation-building and urged the President to continue to provide room for dialogue with stakeholders across the country.