The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday accused President Bola Tinubu and his media team of insulting the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, and the Catholic Church.
Amaechi was reacting to Onaiyekan’s latest comments about the meeting between President Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.
Onaiyekan’s comments after the meeting had ignited widespread condemnation from the Presidency.
However, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Amaechi faulted the Presidency’s comments, stressing that Onaiyekan was equivalent to a state governor and should be accorded such respect.
He said: “I believe in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, so when a group of people insult my faith, then I must get up to defend it.
“When you look at the bishops of the Catholic Church and insult them, most bishops are equivalent to a governor of a state, and I will tell you why.
“The bishop of the Catholic Church in the Port Harcourt Diocese covers the entire Rivers State. What does the governor of Rivers State cover? The same thing. He covers the entire Rivers State.
“Like the bishop of Sokoto, he covers the entire Sokoto State. Now you look at him and insult him because he came to see the President.
“Look at the President’s statement. The President of a country tells the country that all is fair in politics. So, if a thug takes a gun and shoots me where I’m voting, is that fair?
“Every public meeting with the President is public. The moment you bring in cameras, it’s no longer private. I was once in the Presidency. If the President wants a private meeting with you, there will be no cameras, nobody will record you, and there will be no other person, just you and the President.
“The issue is that what the President and his men are doing is that they are insulting my faith. They are insulting the Catholic Church. Listen to Bwala. You are insulting a Cardinal. A Cardinal is somebody who could have been Pope or somebody who has voted for Popes.”