The Presidency has responded to comments by the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of being determined to secure victory in the 2027 general election by every possible means.
Cardinal Onaiyekan, speaking during an interview on ARISE NEWS’ Prime Time programme on Friday, expressed concerns over the state of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that the country’s electoral process must be strengthened to ensure credible elections.
The cleric alleged that the administration appeared focused on retaining power in 2027 and claimed that President Tinubu dismissed concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria on the economy and insecurity during a recent meeting at the Presidential Villa.
According to Onaiyekan, those around the President were presenting an overly optimistic picture of the country’s situation, despite widespread economic hardship and security challenges.
He also raised concerns over the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), noting that while President Tinubu had repeatedly assured Nigerians of the commission’s independence, many citizens still questioned its ability to conduct free, fair and credible elections.
The former Catholic Archbishop warned that the advantages of incumbency could be used to influence the electoral process, potentially undermining the will of the electorate.
He stressed that Nigeria must urgently reform its electoral system and cautioned against any drift toward a one-party state, insisting that only transparent elections would sustain public confidence in democracy.
Responding on Saturday via his X account, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, dismissed the Cardinal’s remarks, arguing that he was expressing the views of the Catholic Church rather than the entire Christian community.
Bwala further alleged that institutions within the Catholic Church had shown support for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, during previous election campaigns.
According to the presidential aide, President Tinubu was entitled to reject the bishops’ assessment of the economy, insisting that the administration’s position was based on available facts, statistics and economic data.
Bwala also accused the cleric of inconsistency, claiming that religious leaders often discouraged members from publicly speaking about hardship while criticising the government’s economic narrative.
He maintained that there was already an umbrella body representing all Christian denominations in Nigeria, including the Catholic Church, and argued that such organisations should remain politically neutral rather than take partisan positions.
The exchange comes as political discussions ahead of the 2027 general election continue to gather momentum, with concerns over electoral credibility, governance and democratic institutions dominating public debate.