Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, says President Bola Tinubu disagreed with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria over its assessment of the country’s economy, insecurity and political climate during their recent meeting at the Presidential Villa.
Tinubu hosted the bishops on July 28, 2026, after they expressed concerns about worsening economic conditions, insecurity and the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking on Prime Time on Arise News on Friday, Onaiyekan said the President rejected the bishops’ position and insisted that his administration was performing well.
“When the nation is bleeding, you cannot expect a polite meeting with the Head of State. We told him the economy is not helping our poor people; he told us the economy is doing fine. Frankly speaking, he told us quite clearly that he did not agree with us,” Onaiyekan said.
He added, “We didn’t expect him to agree with us. We have done our duty, we have delivered our message, and we have a feeling that somehow, along the line, somebody will show him a few of the things we said.”
The cleric said the memorandum presented to the President reflected the collective position of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference after wide consultations across the country.
“We are not politicians running for office. We are religious leaders who feel we have a duty not just to preach our doctrines but also to address the lives of our people,” he said.
Onaiyekan noted that the bishops intentionally presented the harsh realities facing Nigerians rather than offering a favourable picture of the country. He said they were satisfied that Tinubu listened because he responded directly to the issues raised.
The former Abuja archbishop, however, expressed concern that many people within government were unwilling to speak frankly to the President, describing the lack of honest feedback as a major national problem.
On the political situation, Onaiyekan defended the bishops’ warning against what they called the creeping danger of a one-party dominant state, arguing that democracy depends on credible elections and a level playing field for all political actors.
Responding to Tinubu’s defence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, he maintained that public doubts about the commission’s neutrality would persist as long as its leadership continued to be appointed by the President.
He called for reforms to strengthen confidence in the electoral process and urged Tinubu to protect democratic institutions, saying Nigerians deserved better governance and that government should focus more on solving the country’s problems than celebrating its achievements.
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