Tinubu's Administration Fires Back at Cardinal Onaiyekan Over Election Allegations

The Nigerian Presidency has responded to allegations made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Abuja, regarding the administration's intentions for the 2027 elections. Onaiyekan had expressed concerns that President Bola Tinubu's government was determined to win the elections by any means necessary. The Cardinal made these comments during an interview on ARISE NEWS' Prime Time program, stating that the federal government seemed bent on retaining power in the 2027 general election, regardless of the cost. He also claimed that President Tinubu had rejected the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria's assessment of the economy and insecurity when the bishops met with him at the State House, Abuja, on July 28. However, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, has countered Onaiyekan's claims, stating that the cleric was only speaking on behalf of Catholics, not all Christians. Bwala argued that Onaiyekan's position was aligned with institutions that support the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi. The presidential aide also accused Onaiyekan of being more political than spiritual, and pointed out that not all Catholic members support Obi. Onaiyekan had warned that the current administration's actions could undermine the credibility of the electoral process, and that the government's enormous powers could be used to prevent the votes of ordinary Nigerians from counting. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to reform its electoral system to ensure credible elections that reflect the genuine choice of voters. Bwala, however, insisted that President Tinubu was entitled to disagree with the bishops' position on the economy and insecurity, and that the president's disagreement was based on facts, statistics, and numbers. The presidential aide also accused Onaiyekan of inconsistency, saying that priests who criticize the government's economic narrative would silence their own members for making similar complaints.