Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has demanded an immediate apology from the Presidency to the Catholic Church and former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, accusing the Tinubu administration of attacking one of Nigeria’s most respected moral institutions.
In a statement issued on Sunday, August 2, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the Presidency’s response to Cardinal Onaiyekan as “arrogant, disrespectful and unbecoming of a democratic government.”
According to him, the government had chosen to attack respected religious leaders instead of reflecting on the concerns they raised about the country’s condition.
“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,” Atiku said.
He described the Catholic Church as one of Nigeria’s enduring moral voices, saying its leaders have consistently defended the poor, the oppressed and the vulnerable, irrespective of which political party is 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.
Praising the Catholic bishops for speaking frankly, Atiku said they had fulfilled their moral responsibility by drawing attention to Nigeria’s economic and political challenges.
“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 former vice president also defended Cardinal Onaiyekan’s decision to address journalists after the meeting, insisting that the cleric merely sought to present an accurate account after the Presidency attempted to shape public perception.
“Cardinal Onaiyekan’s decision to speak to the press after the presidency sought to dominate and distort the public conversation was nothing more than an effort to place the facts on record. Such a responsible act cannot justify the vile, uncouth and disrespectful reaction that followed from Tinubu’s media handlers,” he said.
Atiku further accused the Presidency of attempting to undermine the credibility of the Catholic bishops through selective presentation of their engagement with President Bola Tinubu.
“What the media managers of the Tinubu administration attempted to do was to cancel and overwrite the voices of the revered Catholic bishops by selectively editing and reframing their engagement with the president in order to manufacture a narrative favourable to the government. That cynical exercise amounted to an affront to the integrity, credibility and moral authority of the bishops,” he stated.
He warned that democracy cannot thrive where independent voices are attacked for expressing dissenting views.
“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 noted.
In a pointed remark, Atiku said the administration appeared to believe all religious leaders could be enlisted for political purposes.
“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.
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“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 declared.
He maintained that attacking respected clerics would neither erase the country’s economic hardship nor absolve the government of responsibility.
“The cleric merely gave voice to what millions of Nigerians discuss daily in their homes, markets, churches and workplaces.
“Silencing or attacking him will not erase the harsh realities of hunger, insecurity, rising poverty, unemployment and the unprecedented cost-of-living crisis confronting ordinary citizens,” he said.
Atiku argued that governments earn public confidence by responding constructively to criticism instead of confronting those who express it.
“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.
He concluded by insisting that the Presidency owed the Catholic Church and Cardinal Onaiyekan a public apology.
“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 stated.
The controversy followed a meeting between President Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, during which the bishops reportedly expressed concerns about worsening economic hardship, insecurity and the cost of living.
After the meeting, Cardinal Onaiyekan spoke publicly about the discussions, prompting a sharp response from the Presidency.