Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the Presidency over its response to comments by Catholic cleric Cardinal John Onaiyekan, accusing the administration of intolerance to dissent.
In a statement issued Sunday by his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the government chose “intimidation and political attacks” rather than addressing concerns raised by Catholic bishops during a recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
The bishops had expressed worries about Nigeria’s worsening economic and security conditions, warning that the country is “bleeding” and that many citizens are struggling.
Speaking in a television interview, Onaiyekan said the message delivered to the President differed from what he was used to hearing, noting that officials appeared uncomfortable with the criticism.
The Presidency, however, pushed back, reportedly accusing the cleric and the Catholic Church of political bias.
Reacting, Atiku defended the bishops, describing them as independent voices with a duty to “speak truth to power,” unlike what he called “compliant clerics” allegedly used for political purposes.
He said the Catholic Church has historically stood for the poor and vulnerable, adding that attempts to discredit Onaiyekan would not change the realities of hardship, insecurity, and rising living costs facing Nigerians.
Atiku also called on the Presidency to apologize to the cleric and the Catholic faithful, warning that failure to do so would reinforce perceptions of arrogance and intolerance.
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