The Presidency has responded to comments by the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, over the Tinubu administration’s alleged determination to retain power in the 2027 general election, dismissing the cleric’s claims as political.
Cardinal Onaiyekan had, during an interview on ARISE NEWS’ Prime Time programme on Friday, expressed concerns that the Federal Government appeared determined to secure President Bola Tinubu’s re-election “by all means.”
The former Catholic Archbishop also claimed that President Tinubu dismissed concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on the economy and insecurity during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on July 28.
According to the cleric, there were growing fears that the administration could use the advantages of incumbency to influence the electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We’re worried about the fact that President Tinubu’s administration is bent on winning the 2027 elections by all means,” Onaiyekan said.
He argued that while the President had repeatedly maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was impartial, many Nigerians remained concerned about the commission’s neutrality and its ability to conduct elections that genuinely reflected the will of the people.
The Cardinal warned that unless Nigeria strengthened its electoral system, future elections might fail to produce outcomes that accurately reflected voters’ choices.
He also cautioned against any drift toward a one-party state, stressing that although it was natural for an incumbent president to seek re-election, the powers of office should not be used to compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
According to Onaiyekan, transparent and credible elections remain essential to sustaining public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
The Presidency, however, rejected the allegations.
Reacting in a post on X, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, said the Cardinal’s views represented those of the Catholic Church and not the broader Christian community.
Bwala also suggested that Onaiyekan’s comments aligned with individuals and groups supporting the presidential ambition of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 election.
“Cardinal Onaiyekan wasn’t speaking for Christians; he was speaking for Catholics,” Bwala wrote, adding that not all Catholics supported Obi.
The presidential aide maintained that President Tinubu was entitled to disagree with the Catholic bishops’ assessment of the country’s economy, arguing that the administration’s position was supported by economic data and statistics.
“The President was well within his right to disagree with their assertion as regards Nigeria’s economy based purely on facts, statistics and numbers put into context,” he said.
Bwala also accused the cleric of inconsistency, alleging that some religious leaders discouraged members of their congregations from publicly expressing hardship while criticising the government’s economic narrative.
He further argued that recognised Christian umbrella bodies, which include the Catholic Church, should maintain neutrality on political matters rather than taking positions that could be interpreted as partisan.
The exchange adds to growing political debate ahead of the 2027 general election, as discussions over governance, economic conditions, security and the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process continue to dominate public discourse.
