Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu disagreed with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria during their recent meeting at the Presidential Villa, rejecting the bishops’ assessment of the country’s economic conditions, insecurity and political environment.
The meeting took place on July 28, 2026, after the bishops formally raised concerns about the rising cost of living, persistent insecurity and the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking during an interview on Prime Time on Arise News on Friday, Onaiyekan said the Tinubu bishops meeting featured frank discussions, with the President insisting that his administration was on the right path despite the concerns presented by the clerics.
“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.
According to the former Abuja archbishop, the bishops were not surprised by Tinubu’s response because their responsibility was to present the realities affecting Nigerians rather than seek agreement. “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,” he added.
Onaiyekan explained that the memorandum presented during the Tinubu bishops meeting represented the collective position of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference after extensive consultations across different parts of Nigeria. He stressed that the bishops were not acting as politicians but as religious leaders with a responsibility to address issues affecting citizens beyond matters of faith.
“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.
He noted that the delegation deliberately chose to present what they described as the difficult realities confronting Nigerians instead of offering an optimistic picture of the country. Despite the disagreement, Onaiyekan said the bishops were satisfied that the President listened carefully because he responded directly to the issues they raised.
The cleric also expressed concern that many government officials were unwilling to provide the President with honest feedback, arguing that the absence of frank advice remained one of the country’s governance challenges. On Nigeria’s political climate, he defended the bishops’ warning against what they described as the gradual emergence of a one-party dominant system.
He maintained that a healthy democracy depends on credible elections and equal opportunities for all political parties. Responding to President Tinubu’s defence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Onaiyekan argued that public confidence in the electoral body would remain limited as long as its leadership continued to be appointed by the President.
He therefore called for reforms that would strengthen trust in Nigeria’s electoral process while urging the administration to prioritise governance over self-congratulation. According to him, Nigerians deserve stronger institutions, better governance and greater attention to solving the nation’s pressing economic and security challenges.
