Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has lashed out at the Presidency over its criticism of Catholic clerics, accusing the Tinubu administration of being intolerant of dissent and uncomfortable with hard truths.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the Presidency chose political attacks instead of reflecting on the concerns raised by Cardinal John Onaiyekan after a recent meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Catholic bishops.
Cardinal Onaiyekan had disclosed in a television interview that the bishops told the President Nigeria was “bleeding” and that the economy was worsening the plight of ordinary citizens, adding that Tinubu and his officials were “not looking very happy” with the message.
The Presidency, however, faulted the Cardinal’s remarks and accused him and the Catholic Church of supporting the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Reacting, Atiku said the Presidency appeared to have mistaken Catholic bishops for politically compromised clerics.
“Perhaps the Presidency has become so accustomed to inviting ‘fake bishops’ that it now assumes every cleric can be recruited into political propaganda. But Catholic bishops are different. They are not political props, rented cheerleaders or praise singers. They are shepherds with a moral obligation to speak truth to power, regardless of whose interests are bruised. They cannot be used,” he said.
The former Vice President praised the Catholic Church for maintaining its independence and serving as a moral voice for the poor and vulnerable, regardless of who occupies Aso Rock.
He described the Presidency’s response to Cardinal Onaiyekan as arrogant and accused government media handlers of attempting to twist the bishops’ message by selectively presenting details of the meeting to favour the administration.
According to Atiku, the Cardinal only addressed the media to ensure the true account of the meeting was made public.
“A government confident in its record welcomes criticism because it provides an opportunity for reflection and improvement. Only an insecure government wages war against honest voices while rewarding those who tell it only what it wants to hear,” he said.
Atiku argued that Cardinal Onaiyekan merely echoed the daily realities confronting Nigerians, including hunger, insecurity, poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, stressing that attacking the cleric would not erase those challenges.
He called on the Presidency to apologise to the Catholic Church, Cardinal Onaiyekan and Catholics across the country, warning that the administration would continue to face accusations of arrogance and intolerance until it did so.
