Tinubu at odds with Catholic bishops over their take on economic and security challenges, says Onaiyekan

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The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, has said that President Bola Tinubu disagreed with the assessment of the economy and security concerns raised by members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria during their meeting at the State House, Abuja.

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PUNCH Online had reported that Tinubu met with the bishops on July 28, 2026, where they expressed concerns over the country’s economy, insecurity and political climate.

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Speaking during an interview on Prime Time, a programme on Arise News, on Friday, Onaiyekan said Tinubu rejected the bishops’ assessment, insisting that his administration was on the right track.

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“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.

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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.”

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The cleric stressed that the statement presented to Tinubu reflected the collective position of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference after extensive consultations, adding that the bishops had no political ambitions but a duty to speak on issues affecting Nigerians.

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“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.

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Onaiyekan said the bishops deliberately presented the realities confronting Nigerians rather than giving the President a favourable picture of the country, adding that they were satisfied Tinubu listened because he responded directly to their concerns.

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He, however, expressed concern that too few people within government were willing to tell the President the truth, describing it as one of the country’s major challenges.

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On the political climate, the archbishop defended the bishops’ warning against what they described as the creeping danger of a one-party dominant state, saying democracy required credible elections and a level playing field.

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Responding to Tinubu’s defence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Onaiyekan argued that doubts over the commission’s neutrality would remain as long as its leadership was appointed by the President, urging reforms to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.

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He urged Tinubu to protect Nigeria’s democratic institutions, insisting the bishops were united in their belief that Nigerians deserved better and that government should focus more on addressing the country’s challenges than celebrating its achievements.

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