Atiku condemns presidency’s criticism of Catholic bishops, demands apology

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the Presidency’s criticism of the Catholic Church and Cardinal John Onaiyekan, describing it as an attack on one of Nigeria’s most respected moral institutions and evidence of growing intolerance for dissent.

 

Atiku also demanded an immediate and unreserved apology to the former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal Onaiyekan, and the Catholic faithful, describing the Presidency’s response to the cleric’s comments as “arrogant, disrespectful and unbecoming of a democratic government.”

 

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku accused the Presidency of resorting to political attacks instead of addressing concerns raised by members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria on the state of the nation.

 

According to him, rather than responding to the substance of the bishops’ observations, the Tinubu administration sought to intimidate and discredit respected religious leaders.

 

“It was both unfortunate and dangerous that, instead of reflecting on the substance of the cleric’s message, the presidency chose the familiar path of intimidation, ridicule and political attacks,” he said.

 

The former vice president described the Catholic Church as one of Nigeria’s enduring moral voices, noting that its leaders have consistently spoken in defence of the poor, vulnerable and oppressed irrespective of the government in power.

 

“The Catholic Church has, for generations, stood as one of the moral voices of our nation. Its bishops and priests have consistently spoken for the poor, the oppressed and the vulnerable, irrespective of who occupies Aso Rock. Their duty is not to flatter those in power but to speak truth to power,” he stated.

 

Atiku commended the Catholic bishops for openly expressing concerns about the country’s economic and political situation, urging other religious leaders to emulate what he described as their courage.

 

“The Catholic bishops demonstrated rare courage by looking the president in the face and telling him the bitter truth about the state of the nation. That is precisely what patriotic religious leaders are called to do—not to decorate power with praise, but to confront it with truth.

 

“We urge other religious leaders, regardless of denomination or faith, to emulate this example by speaking truth to power whenever the nation’s interest demands it,” he added.

 

The ADC presidential candidate also defended Cardinal Onaiyekan’s decision to publicly comment on the meeting with President Bola Tinubu, saying the cleric merely sought to present the facts after what he described as an attempt by the Presidency to shape the narrative.

 

He further accused the Presidency of attempting to undermine the credibility of the Catholic bishops through what he called selective presentation of the engagement with the President.

 

According to Atiku, democracy cannot thrive where citizens, religious leaders and civil society organisations are attacked for expressing views that differ from those of the government.

 

“The presidency is not a secret cult where only approved voices are permitted to speak. In a constitutional democracy, no one needs the permission of Aso Rock to tell the truth about the state of the nation,” he said.

 

He also criticised what he described as the administration’s attitude towards religious leaders, saying Catholic bishops could not be used for political propaganda.

 

“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 stated.

 

Atiku argued that attacking respected clerics would not erase the economic and security challenges facing Nigerians, insisting that the bishops merely echoed the concerns of ordinary citizens.

 

He maintained that governments earn greater public confidence by responding constructively to criticism rather than attacking those who express contrary opinions.

 

“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 added.

 

The former vice president called on the Presidency to apologise to Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Catholic Church and Catholic faithful across the country.

 

“The presidency owes the Catholic Church, Cardinal John Onaiyekan and the entire Catholic faithful an immediate and unreserved apology. The reckless assault on respected men of God was not merely an attack on individuals; it was an affront to one of Nigeria’s most credible moral institutions and an insult to millions of faithful Catholics.

 

“Until that apology is offered, the Tinubu administration will continue to stand accused of arrogance, intolerance and contempt for every independent voice that refuses to sing its praises,” he said.